Nepal Infrastructure Research
Applying ontological thinking to infrastructure challenges in Nepal.
Co-development / R&D partner
This project applied Visioning Lab's ontological approach to infrastructure challenges in Nepal, working with local partners to develop context-appropriate frameworks for infrastructure decision-making.
Challenge
Infrastructure planning in developing contexts faces unique challenges: limited data, complex governance structures, rapid urbanisation, and climate vulnerability. Standard Western infrastructure frameworks often fail to capture these realities.
Approach
Working with Nepali researchers and practitioners, we:
- Developed locally-grounded ontologies for infrastructure assessment
- Created participatory tools for community input into infrastructure priorities
- Tested immersive communication methods for stakeholder engagement
Outcomes
The project demonstrated that ontological approaches can be adapted across contexts — and that the most valuable ontologies are those built with, not for, the communities they serve.