Climate breakdown is the biggest challenge humanity is facing and requires a radical transformation of the design profession to address it. In response to this, Groundlab has teamed up with the Architectural Association to form AA Groundlab, the first design laboratory of the AA residence program. 

It aims to investigate ways in which design can help tackle the climate crisis through a diverse range of projects, scales, and stakeholders as well as to test new forms of collaboration. We are producing visualisations and cartographic tools to understand current dynamics of urbanisation so we can project and depict future scenarios and design strategies.

On the one hand, AA Ground lab is working alongside some Latin American countries to visualise ways in which a ‘Just Transition’ to a de-carbonized economy can look like. AA Ground lab hopes to put into action our design skills and create alliances so the transition can be done on social justice GROUNDS. On the other hand, Groundlab sees itself as a design collaborator of the transdisciplinary Green New Deal in the UK teaming up with economic think tanks such as Common-Wealth. If Climate Change is the biggest threat humanity is facing, the Green New Deal is the biggest proposal and plan with the scale and the scope to tackle it.