CORNER: Science to meet you
A travelling art and research exposition on housing and energy proudly presented by:
Pathways to Inclusive, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing
When & where
2-4 June 2026
Roeterseiland Campus
University of Amsterdam
On 2 to 4 June 2026, the University of Amsterdam hosted the installation CORNER at the Roeterseiland Campus: a travelling exposition where art, research, and practice come together. CORNER has been developed within PREFIGURE, a European Horizon Europe project that explores how housing and energy systems across Europe are interconnected — and how new, more sustainable ways of living are emerging.
The exposition makes complex research themes clear and accessible. Visitors will discover inspiring examples from across Europe: initiatives in which people are already experimenting with new forms of energy use, collective housing, and climate-friendly solutions. Artworks, stories, and research insights bring these ideas to life in a visual and interactive way. CORNER functions simultaneously as an exhibition, a research environment, and a meeting place where students, researchers, residents, and professionals can exchange ideas and perspectives.
Organizing committee: Prof Maria Kaika, Dr Mendel Giezen, Mirte Jepma, Dr Charis Tsavdaroglou (Amsterdam School of Planning, GPIO, AISSR at UvA).
Programme
During the Amsterdam edition, community-driven energy alternatives take centre stage. The first day focuses on collective heating initiatives, the second day on energy as part of social networks and everyday life. In the morning we explore energy practices of migrant communities in Thessaloniki, and in the afternoon we look at the housing and energy needs of residents in the Van der Pek neighbourhood. On the third day, we discuss the latest research insights alongside current challenges in housing and energy policy.
2 June 2026
Energy Communities and Collective Heating
NOTE: This day is in Dutch. Deze dag is in het Nederlands.
The first day centres on local energy initiatives and the evolving role of heat communities in the energy transition. Through two panel discussions with representatives from KetelhuisWG and Thermo Bello, we explore how community-owned heat systems are shaped in practice — between policy ambitions, technical realities, and local commitment.
The first panel examines the future of heat communities within the changing policy landscape, asking what is needed to create fair conditions for their development and how their social added value — from neighbourhood anchoring and democratic legitimacy to technical innovation and volunteer engagement — can be better recognised and supported. The second panel shifts focus to the everyday work behind collective heat systems, exploring how trust-building, resident participation, and technical optimisation interact in practice. Together, the discussions reflect on the opportunities and tensions of community-led heating, from contracts and financing to questions of fairness, scalability, and long-term support, while highlighting how residents can play an active role in shaping a more inclusive energy future.
10:00-12:00
First panel: A warm future for heat communities in the heat transition?
Speakers: Gerwin Verschuur from Thermo Bello, Ted Zwietering and Theo Konijn from KetelhuisWG, Vera van den Bos from the Municipality of Amsterdam, Saskia Müller from APEC, Researcher Daniel Petrovics and Drielli Peyerl. Moderated by Mendel Giezen.
12:00-13:00
Lunch break
13:00-14:00
Guided tours though CORNER
14:00-16:00
Second panel: Between Technology and Commitment: Who Really Makes Heat Systems Work?
Speakers: Gerwin Verschuur from Thermo Bello, Margo Henderson and Eileen Velthuis from KetelhuisWG, Wendy Springer from the Municipality of Amsterdam, Researcher Charissa Leiwakabessy and Mirte Jepma. Moderated by Mendel Giezen.
16:00
Borrel
3 June 2026
Energy, Inequality and Housing
NOTE: This day is in English. Deze dag is in het Engels.
The second day focuses on access to energy and housing justice. Researchers will present studies on energy infrastructures and housing conditions for migrants, followed by a creative workshop with students exploring everyday stories about housing and energy. The day concludes with a screening of the documentary De Verkrotte Droom and a discussion on housing and energy challenges in Amsterdam.
10:00-12:00
First presentation: “Energy Infrastructures in Refugee Camps and Houses in Thessaloniki” by Charalampos Tsavdaroglou
Second presentation: “From Campus to Camp: Co-Designing Solar Energy Solutions with Refugee Communities” by Pablo Lopez San Martin – Energy for Refugees
12:00-13:00
Lunch
13:00-14:30
Energy Life Stories vignette workshop to explore your personal history through the lens of power and resource. We will use creative writing techniques to capture brief, vivid moments where energy, whether human, electrical, or environmental, has shaped your life.
Led by Maria Kaika and Charalampos Tsavdaroglou
15:00-17:00
Documentary screening of De Verkrotte Droom (63”, Dutch spoken, English subtitles). A documentary about housing and energy (in)justices in the Amsterdam Noord neighbourhood Van der Pek followed by a conversation with filmmaker Femke van Velzen, Bart Stuart van Huurders Netwerk Amsterdam/ Tenants Network Amsterdam. Location: CREA Muziekzaal.
17:00
Borrel at CREA Cafe
4 June 2026
Research and Policy in Dialogue
NOTE: This day is in English. Deze dag is in het Engels.
The final day brings together researchers and policymakers. Presentations and roundtable discussions by scholars from, among others, the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences explore current issues such as housing affordability, urban infrastructure, and the energy transition. Key questions about fairness and inclusivity are central. These conversations aim to spark new connections and ideas for future research and collaboration.
10:00-11:30
Panel 1: From Pilot to Practice: Case Studies Shaping the Future of Energy-Efficient Housing
Exploring successful approaches, implementation barriers, and policy implications from the field. A panel conversation between:
Maria Kaika who will present key insights from the PREFIGURE: Pathways to Inclusive, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing research project.
Imrat Verhoeven, who will present key insights from the JustPrepare project: residents’ practices and residential areas as the centre of a just and effective energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods.
Selçuk Balamir, independent researcher and community organiser who has been involved with the development of housing cooperative de Nieuwe Meent.
Hielke Ploeg, key actor in the field of housing and energy justice in energy transition and renovation projects as part of association !WOON.
Pauline Westendorp, key actor in the field of bottom-up initiatives for the energy transition and founder of the network Oranje Energie
Veerle Valkema and Dick Spuitenburg who worked on the KetelhuisWG case with the Municipality of Amsterdam
Moderated by Pinar Şefkatli
11:30-12:30
Lunch
12:30 – 13:30
Guided Tour through CORNER
13:30 – 15:00
Panel 2: A Dialogue: Research and Policy in the Housing–Energy Transition. A panel conversation between:
Mirte Jepma, PhD researcher part of the PREFIGURE: Pathways to Inclusive, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing research project.
Carolin Seiberlich, PhD researcher part of the PREFIGURE: Pathways to Inclusive, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing research project.
Andreas Schuck, researcher with the ENLENS project: engaging Citizens with Sustainable Solutions
Tabita Slimmens, Communication specialist at the Municipality of Amsterdam for sustainability
Sylvia Breukers, part of energy cooperation GOED
Mina Akhavan, Multidisciplinary researcher in urban studies with focus on the energy transition.
Moderated by Charalampos Tsavdaroglou
15:30-17:00
Game Time: Imagining the neighborhood of the future: a value-based worldbuilding game with PhD Researcher Rianne Janssen
17:00
Closing reception at CORNER
Learning together across Europe
CORNER is designed as a travelling research installation. The insights gathered in Amsterdam will become part of a broader European research trajectory. CORNER will also travel to cities including Sofia, Thessaloniki, Karlsruhe, Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Tallinn (see map below). In this way, local experiences are connected to an international perspective and shared learning across Europe.
Everyone is welcome.
CORNER offers an inspiring space where science, art, and community initiatives meet. Whether you are a student, researcher, professional, or simply interested, you are warmly invited to visit, share ideas, and join the conversation about the future of housing and energy in Europe.
More information at prefigure.eu
