lowtechlab-01j

The Low-tech Lab
Inciting people
to do better with less

Our vision

The low-tech way of thought allows you to live better with less. We are convinced of this. If it was more widely known, accepted and adapted, it would allow us to fight efficiently against all the environmental, social and societal evils of the 21st Century. Since 2013, we have noticed that there are many low-tech answers around the planet and that individual and/or collective initiatives are emerging spontaneously all over the world.

The mission

The mission we’ve given ourselves is to share the solutions and the spirit of low-techs with as many people as possible, so as to give each and every one of us the desire and means to live better with less:

picto-explo

Explore and Experiment

Explore to find low-tech solutions and projects all over France and the world.
Experiment in different contexts and fields, to test the approach in real conditions and show its relevance in practice.

  • Exploration: Nomade des Mers, Low-tech Tour France
  • Experimentation: Biosphère, Low-tech for Refugees, Agami (low-tech mobility), Seeking a sustainable home (low-tech housing)
picto-doc

Documenting low-techs and their potential implementation

Documenting low-techs means being interested in technical aspects and their environmental and economic potential. It also means observing the relevant and coherent ways of sharing them. All of this as an open-source and for free.

  • Technical tutorials, experimentation reports, measuring potential impacts, etc.
  • Ergonomics study, inquiry on the acceptance of low-techs, etc.
  • Documentation of models of low-tech organisations, etc.

Enable the development via collaborative and community tools

By giving access to collaborative tools and community programmes, the Low-Tech Lab allows each and every one of us to make progress in the low-tech way while contributing globally to the movement.

  • Maps, resource database, calendar, wiki platform
  • Explorer Programme, Ambassador Programme, Community Programme and Branches
picto-diffusion

Share and pass on

The Low-tech Lab shares the experience and testimonies of low-tech ambassadors. We show you what is possible to allow you all to draw inspiration from them.

  • Conferences, web-series, book, think tank, exhibitions, and so on.

History: The origins of the Low-tech Lab

The story of the Low-tech Lab began in Bangladesh in 2010. On board a prototype boat made of natural jute fibre, Corentin de Chatelperron set off on an expedition to test self-sufficiency using small, low-tech systems. Gradually, he noticed the ingenuity developed all over the world to meet people’s needs in simple, accessible and sustainable ways. His interest in low-techs was born. In 2014, the Low-Tech lab was launched with the creation of a collaborative documentation platform and the beginning of the Nomade des Mers expedition: going around the world discovering low-tech innovations.

Then followed a series of explorations and experimentations of low-techs in different contexts and the development of programmes aiming at sharing the solutions and the low-tech approach with a wide audience (you can find these on our “Actions” page).

To (re)discover the full history of the organisation, why not visit the museum-website of the mother organisation:

The members

The Low-tech Lab is made up of members who embody the different approaches and visions of low-tech. Here they are:

lowtechlab-presentation-cover

Some figures about the Low-tech Lab

50 low-techs spotted in 27 countries
tested, documented and shared in open source

400,000 views from 175 countries
on the tutorial platform since it was created in 2017

15 + conferences and round tables
per year

Two 52’ films, thirty-two 26’ ARTE documentaries
three books, three exhibitions

30 + publications/appearances per year
in local, national and international media

Local branches

The local branches carry out the mission of the Low-tech Lab by developing activities adapted to the needs in their respective areas.

They can also focus on certain directions and programmes:

France

Reunion Island

Switzerland

Belgium

Luxembourg

Canada

Cameroun

Lebanon

Benin

Partners

Région Bretagne
Ville de Boulogne-Billancourt
Picture Organic Clothing
Fondation Schneider Electric

Support the Low-tech Lab

Donate

The Low-tech Lab is a French non-profit general interest organisation. You can support it by making a donation.

Become a partner

Do you want to support the Low-tech Lab actively and take part in the low-tech movement?