Mobility Is More Than Movement—It’s About Opportunity. How we move through our cities shapes our lives. It influences access to jobs, education, health, and social connections. In Den Haag Zuidwest, where mobility challenges intersect with social inequality, economic disadvantage, and urban renewal, a new approach is needed—one that sees mobility as a tool for broad prosperity (“brede welvaart” in Dutch), not just transport efficiency.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management as part of the Missie D+ program, Humankind was tasked - in collaboration with DRIFT for Transition - with designing a Living Lab framework  and a Theory of Change to address behavioral and systemic barriers to the mobility transition in Den Haag Zuidwest.

The project focuses on  mobility inequities in a neighborhood where car dependency, inadequate public transport, and safety concerns limit access to opportunities. The project envisioned the creation of a new cycling culture among residents that would act as a catalyst for social and economic transformation in the area.

In Den Haag Zuidwest, cycling participation is low despite the presence of cycling infrastructure. Through the Theory of Change process, we worked to understand the root causes of this behavior and identify strategic intervention points to create a shift toward cycling as a norm.

This resulted in a strategy that reframes cycling not just as transport, but as a movement, with different outcomes: a community-led engagement strategy, two pilot initiatives for progressive implementation and the delivery of a concept for a movement: “Generation B” – an identity-based approach positioning cycling as a lifestyle, social connector, and expression of independence, with the objective of promoting behavioural change.

By embedding the Theory of Change into both practice and policy, we are laying the foundation for a long-term cultural shift—one where cycling is not just an option, but a key element of a healthier, more connected, and more equitable urban future.