Curious about the “why” behind human interactions?
Research is at the heart of everything I do—exploring the hidden rules, patterns, and systems that shape how we live, work, and connect. I dive into topics like social psychology, systems thinking, and game design to uncover insights that drive meaningful change.
From developing innovative toolkits to collaborating on interdisciplinary projects, my research is all about reimagining how we can create more fun, fair, and engaging ways of interacting—both as individuals and within systems. To support this, I use The Vault, my ever-growing collection of modular decks, categorized by theme, which serves as the foundation for designing custom methods, workshops, and game-based interventions. Each project draws from this structured system, combining existing tools with new insights to create tailored solutions.
Current Areas of Exploration
Through this approach, I contribute to projects that not only address societal challenges but also generate new insights for researchers, enabling a reciprocal exchange between practice and theory. Here are three areas I’m actively exploring:
LARP as a Tool for Social and Personal Growth
Live Action Role Play (LARP) allows us to step into others’ shoes and navigate complex social systems. I work with organizations like Nausicaa in Poland on projects that apply LARP principles to youth work, social challenges, and team-building. For example, an Erasmus+ collaboration has focused on creating toolkits that help youth workers incorporate LARP into their programs, blending immersive storytelling with transformative learning.
Worldbuilding for Systemic Change
Worldbuilding, often used in fiction and game design, can also help us reimagine societal systems. Working with organizations like Via Berlin and European universities, I design collaborative frameworks that encourage participants to challenge assumptions, visualize alternative realities, and address systemic issues like toxic masculinity and community conflicts. These projects feed directly into artistic outputs and academic research, creating a rich feedback loop between disciplines.
Games for Participatory Placemaking
How can games reshape public spaces and participatory urban processes? My ongoing research into placemaking focuses on the use of game elements to enhance community engagement, foster collaboration, and create a sense of ownership in urban spaces. Whether designing playful interventions for cities or giving lectures on game-inspired placemaking, I’m passionate about exploring how systems thinking and participatory design can transform the way we interact with our surroundings.
Collaboration and Opportunities
Through partnerships supported by programmes like Erasmus+, I contribute to projects that bridge academic research, creative expression, and social innovation. For example, my ongoing collaboration work with Via Berlin involves researchers from universities like Radboud University and University of Amsterdam and organisations for social change like Emancipator. Similarly, my partnership with the Nausika foundation focuses on using Worldbuilding and Live Action Roleplay (LARP) as educational tools for European youth organizations, which in turn are inspired by my ongoing collaboration with the international Worldbuilding Institute. These projects represent the kind of dynamic, multi-perspective work I’m very passionate about.
If you’re working on a project that combines these elements, or looking to explore how research can be enriched through game design and playful methodologies, I’d love to connect.