My recently started Civic Prototyping research group aims to develop new tools and methods enabling urban residents to exploratively research and develop applications of new technologies. This allows them to improve their everyday lives by taking their own initiative in creating valuable services, products, collaborations, and shared spaces. Facilitating applied design research is an essential part of this. But what does applied design research look like in the context of a community of people who keep trying to change the world around them? And what are the challenges for the implementation of applied design research in such a context?