Dark Matter Labs is a field laboratory focused on building the institutional infrastructures for radical civic societies, cities, regions and towns.
Dark Matter analyzes the shifts required in the underlying ‘dark matter’ – monetary, economic, governance, regulatory and policy systems – to manifest transformations in our food, housing, land, material and nature systems towards a future of mutual thriving. The organization works with institutions around the world to demonstrate these alternatives in neighborhoods, cities and bioregions, including UNDP (Global), Climate Kic (EU), McConnell (Canada), the Scottish Government, and Bloxhub (Copenhagen).
Dark Matter is part of 00 (project00.cc), a collaborative studio of architects, strategic designers, programmers, social scientists, economists and urban designers practicing design beyond its traditional borders, of which Johar is also a co-founder. He is a non-executive director of WikiHouse Foundation and Bloxhub, a Good Growth Commissioner for the RSA, an RIBA Trustee, and an Advisor to the Mayor of London, amongst others.
Dark Matter Labs was an exhibitor in the Future Observatory Gallery, November 2023 – September 2024. The first display in a new dedicated space for research at the Design Museum, which showcased six researchers from across the UK who are confronting environmental concerns and working towards liveable futures.
Dark Matter Labs is Future Observatory's partner in the Research project UK2040, which seeks to address the UK's systemic challenges over the coming decade.
