Does this work?!
Rijkswaterstaat in the Embassy of Safety? Not surprising. Rijkswaterstaat has been keeping us safe by making for two centuries: Delta works, solid dykes, reliable roads. That remains. And it changes. Rijkswaterstaat moves with people, with nature, with climate change. What does that demand from the organisational culture? How receptive is this culture to reflection on one’s own actions? And how safe does it have to be inside to keep making it safe outside?
25 Rijkswaterstaat officials, social designers and artists worked on those questions in 2023 and 2024, under the slogan: Can you make this! Some of the output can be seen here in the Embassy of Safety: Vulnerability advocate, the Traditions club and Rijksmakerstaat.
Rijksmakerstaat is a collaboration of Rijkswaterstaat with observers Wieteke Vrouwe and Felicity van Oort and designers Marjolein Vermeulen and Jaap Warmenhoven.
Rijksmakerstaat
Would you dare?! Cutting up a government logo officially is not allowed. Nevertheless, a Rijkswaterstaat colleague turned their existing logo into a new flag. It symbolises the way in which Rijkswaterstaat is willing to explore, stretch and adapt their ways of working together with creative makers. After all, being reliable as a government organisation does not just mean being able to execute large scale projects. It also means being able to deal with change and uncertainty. It means investing in relationships, with partners, citizens, and with each other. We shape or “make” new alliances together, hence Rijksmakerstaat. The first themes participants of Rijksmakerstaat explored with artists were related to social security at work. What topic should follow, if it was up to you?
Vulnerability advocate
Every major government organisation employs legal practitioners. Lawyers at Rijkswaterstaat explored how they can contribute to a work culture of well being and security. When it comes to social security in organisations, we often use legal language. Perpetrator. Victim. Bystander. But in reality, social security most of the time is about seeing and supporting someone in a vulnerable position, without there ever being a legal dispute. Rijkswaterstaat lawyers and designer Myrthe Veeneman created a new perspective, introducing the Vulnerability advocate. Their experiences showed that when you dare to show up with vulnerability in a conversation, you open up that possibility to the other person too. Not everyone is an advocate in legal terms, but we could all be a Vulnerability advocate. How about you? Try on the gown and experience how it feels.
The Traditions club
When you address the themes of social well being and security, interestingly, feelings of unsafety or insecurity can arise. That may seem paradoxical and slightly daunting, but it also is an opening to a place of sincerity. Creating a safe and secure work environment invites you to feel more deeply: how are you really doing? Feelings of discomfort may come up. So what are they really telling you?
Rijkswaterstaat employees work both offline and online, across the country and out at sea. They intensively collaborate in teams with different social partners and organisations. How do employees stay connected and look after each other? And what shared traditions do you need for that? Artist Martijn Engelbregt and a team from the Opwek van Energie Programme at Rijksvastgoed explored these questions. In the Traditions club, you can experience and create new traditions. What tradition would you like to develop?
Colophon
Rijksmakerstaat – Designers Marjolein Vermeulen and Jaap Warmenhoven and Rijkswaterstaat officials with observers Wieteke Vrouwe and Felicity van Oort
Vulnerability advocate – Designer Myrthe Veeneman, lawyers from Rijkswaterstaat. Gowns made by Anna Aarts and Tula Zandvliet
The Traditions club – Social artist Martijn Engelbregt and Rijkswaterstaat officials
