Research Approach & Global Nested MiniLABs
The intent is the one of establishing a network of locally-attuned Minilabs in key areas around the world. Each Minilab follows a consistent research spiral, identifying local ecological and social challenges, co-designing experiments inspired by Nature’s strategies, and gathering live data through qualitative and quantitative methods. These iterations feed into a shared global framework, allowing each community to contribute insights while remaining responsive to its unique context Biomimicry Toolbox.
The Lichens Project draws inspiration from Nature's enduring design wisdom, the Life's Principles, that have enabled ecosystems to thrive for over 3.8 billion years. By integrating these time-tested patterns and strategies, the project fosters a regenerative mindset, guiding individuals and communities toward resilient ways of living in harmony with the environment.
Life creates conditions conducive to Life
Co-Creative
Place-Making Projects
In each location, we co-create experiential interventions—from pop-up “reciprocity benches” and sensory mapping walks to multi-week behavior-change sprints. These projects unfold as living laboratories where participants learn Nature’s language through direct experience, observe emergent patterns, and collaboratively envision next steps. Each initiative is carefully documented and shared across the global network, allowing local experiments to inform the evolution of future MiniLabs as nested, interconnected components.
PLACE MAKING
co-creative experience
MiniLABs
as nested components
Partnership & Impact
Through partnerships with impactful stakeholders and leading organizations, Lichens Project fosters regenerative collaboration grounded in practical design and embodied placemaking.
Key outcomes include:
Community-Based Research: gathering insights through conversations, practices, and creative tools that reveal how everyday people relate to Nature.
Shared Stewardship: co-governance of MiniLabs to ensure mutual accountability and ownership of the process and its discoveries.
Open-Source Toolkits: development of playbooks, video libraries, and data dashboards made freely accessible under Creative Commons.
Scalable Reciprocity Framework: enabling organizations to exchange value with people and ecosystems through multi-directional, nature-inspired flows.
A Living Network
of Practice
Together, we cultivate a living network where people feel at home in their bodies, in community, and within the ecosystems they belong to catalyzing deep behavioral shifts and systemic regeneration.
Connect
Interested in working together?
Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!