Kickstart for creative ideas in OBA Next Lab Sluisbuurt

Business Innovation students are working on projects in the recently opened OBA Next Lab Sluisbuurt that aim to benefit the people of Amsterdam. At the OBA Next Lab, anyone can organise events: students, staff, and residents from the neighbourhood or the wider city. But how do you make the lab accessible, so people actually want to use it? And what kind of content-driven initiatives can students come up with? Students Josh and Given have some innovative ideas.

Lowering barriers
Fourth year student Josh Doromal developed a digital platform that allows users not only to reserve the OBA Next Lab space, but also to explain what kind of event or activity they want to organise. “It’s more than just a booking system,” Josh explains. “The platform provides information about the OBA Next Lab and shows what’s possible there. It also serves as a space where people can connect, exchange ideas, and get inspired.” Josh’s goal is to lower the threshold for use and make it easier to bring the lab to life.

The platform is currently in a testing phase. Users who make a reservation now are asked to provide feedback, which Josh is using to improve the system. In the coming months, the platform will be optimized so it can function independently, allowing users to organise events without staff involvement.

Visualising with AI
Along with five fellow second year students, Given Klemann is working on an innovative book club concept. “We want to start a book club in the OBA Next Lab where AI plays a role in how people perceive a story,” Given says. “For example, you read a page from a book, and then our AI tool helps you visualize how you imagine the characters. You then compare that with others and discuss why your interpretations differ. That leads to some really interesting conversations.”

Their AI generator is still in development, but on April 23 they will test the first prototype during a co-creation session. Participants will read a page from a book, describe how they envision the story, and see a visual representation of that interpretation. These images will then be used to spark discussion within the group. According to Given, it’s a playful and low-key way to reflect on literature and share different perspectives.

Connecting with the city
Laura Brongers, one of the OBA Next Lab’s coordinators, says these are exactly the types of projects the lab was meant for. “We don’t just want the OBA Next Lab to be a space for activities, but a real third space – a place that people see as their own and can help shape,” she explains. “We can think up all kinds of ideas, but it’s much more powerful when people come up with things they care about. These student projects really help us make that happen.”

With their book club concept, the students are not only exploring ways to make reading more appealing, but also how AI can be used to create deeper connections between readers. Laura: “It’s great to see students thinking creatively about the library of the future. They’re helping us innovate and build stronger ties with the city. And the same goes for Josh’s platform: it helps to increase the visibility and use of the OBA Next Lab – by students, staff, and Amsterdam residents alike.”