T. van Arkel

Thomas van Arkel is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft, where he investigates how design practices can contribute to transformative change within public organisations through the institutionalisation of design interventions.

Thomas's research focuses on understanding how design interventions can move beyond localised, ephemeral impacts to foster broader, structural transformation of organisational practices in the neoliberal welfare state. Through collaborations with design practitioners and public organisations, he is interested in three aspects of the impact and institutionalisation of design interventions: balancing challenge and reproduction of existing structures, supporting the appropriation of design interventions into organisational practices, and enabling the translation of interventions across different contexts. He is particularly interested in how design can shape the rules, norms, and shared meanings that guide behaviour in public organisations.

His research combines theoretical perspectives from design, social practice theory, and institutional theory with practical insights from working with design practitioners and public organisations. This integration helps bridge the gap between design's transformative potential and its practical implementation in complex organisational settings. By developing knowledge and methods that enhance the effectiveness of design practices, his work aims to support designers in addressing complex societal challenges through meaningful organisational change.

Thomas holds both a BSc in Industrial Design and an MSc in Design for Interaction from TU Delft. After graduation, he worked as a researcher at IDE, where he conducted various applied research projects in collaboration with organisations from the Dutch creative industry (such as CLICKNL, de Publieke Ontwerppraktijk, Dutch Design Foundation, Social Design Showdown and Federatie Creatieve Industrie).