Digital Governance Excursion

Digital governance was the theme of UGoveRN’s 2025 excursion, held on May 13th. It offered participants an immersive exploration of how digital systems intersect with urban governance in real-world settings. Beginning at the historic Waag Futurelab on Nieuwmarkt, the walking tour took attendees through five key locations in central Amsterdam, including Valkenburgerstraat, the ARCAM Architecture Centre, and the innovative Marineterrein district. Each stop illustrated different aspects of the city’s approach to integrating technology into public space management, planning, and citizen engagement. By experiencing these sites first-hand, participants were invited to critically reflect on the spatial and social implications of digital governance practices. The tour emphasized both the visible and often invisible infrastructures shaping urban life, setting the tone for deeper discussions in the workshop sessions that followed. The walk was accompanied by lectures and presentations offered kindly by Bart Tunnissen, who is the New Business and Legal Director of the WAAG Futurelab; Tom van Arman the Founder of TAPP/Smart City Architecture; ARCAM; and Pelle Menke with Amsterdam InChange.