System D Academy
At Amsterdam's Sandberg Institute, System D Academy was a 2 - year temporary Master’s program aimed at training researchers-in-action and the exploration of informal and self-organising systems. “System D” comes from the French word débrouillardise, and means being self-reliant and resourceful. More than half of the world’s population lives and operates in System D, but the system is also found in highly formalised societies, often surviving underground or off the radar. The flexibility, self-organisation, and intuitive processes found in System D can complement or surpass the rational models and static ideologies of formalised thinking.
In many ways, System D is a philosophy which cannot be taught using conventional methods; therefore students were placed in a context and given space to develop their thinking using a variety of System D methods. Following coursework and lectures delivered by artists, designers, curators and other creative actors, the Academy’s students produced a range of projects, each examining notions of autonomy, resourcefulness, and improvisation.
Heads: Cynthia Hathaway, Melle Smets
Coordinator: Nora Morton
Exhibition Tutor: Bart Witte
Graphic Design: Sylvain Tegroeg
Tutors: Hans Abbink, Simon Angel, Christiaan Fruneaux, Jessica Gysel, Arne Hendriks, Ed van Hinte Chroniqeurs: Sophie Krier, Erik Wong
Guests: Michele Kasprzak, Tara Karpinski, Arjo Klamer, Tomás Libertiny, Nicolas Maigret, Mark Minkjan, Dirck Möllmann, Niek Nol, Joost van Onna, Corné Pieterse, Willem de Ridder, Jan Rothuizen, Marc Schuilenburg, Ceren Sezer, Téreltérítés, Francien van Westrenen, Jan Dirk de Jong, Kris De Decker, Edwin Gardner, George Hathaway, Dirk van den Heuvel, Thomas Hirschhorn, Harmen de Hoop, Michiel van Iersel, Freek Janssens, Daan Alkemade, Leila Anderson, Pek van Andel, Annemarie van den Berg, Baptist Brayé
Location: Sandberg Instituut Amsterdam
Funding: Gemeente Utrecht, Sandberg Instituut Amsterdam
Students: Janneke Absil, Dennis Munoz Espadina, Annette Kouwenhoven, Boo van der Vlist, Clement Caret, Theofanis Dalezios, Maarten Davidse, Karoline Buurman, Martina Raponi, Ming Sho Tang, Lisa Deijl, Gitte Nygaard
Aardschap Bootcamps
To kick-start action research and working in context Aardschap
devises immersive workshops for clients. For System D Academy, a series of intense expeditions were conducted to experience System D in action in Hungary, France and The Netherlands. Working with local activist groups in various neighborhoods, SD researchers learned from their creative capacities, methods and struggles apparent in intercepting with the formal. To explore where System D resides in The Netherlands, 3 workshops about the marketplace, safety and knowledge were created.
Downloadable Readers:
Marketplaces as Urban Development Strategy: How to set up a
System D Market
Positive Criminology: How to set up safety without breaking
the law
The Testing of a Science Parliament. How do you make an
Inclusive Learning Environment?
System D Academy
At Amsterdam's Sandberg Institute, System D Academy was a 2 - year temporary Master’s program aimed at training researchers-in-action and the exploration of informal and self-organising systems. “System D” comes from the French word débrouillardise, and means being self-reliant and resourceful. More than half of the world’s population lives and operates in System D, but the system is also found in highly formalised societies, often surviving underground or off the radar. The flexibility, self-organisation, and intuitive processes found in System D can complement or surpass the rational models and static ideologies of formalised thinking.
In many ways, System D is a philosophy which cannot be taught using conventional methods; therefore students were placed in a context and given space to develop their thinking using a variety of System D methods. Following coursework and lectures delivered by artists, designers, curators and other creative actors, the Academy’s students produced a range of projects, each examining notions of autonomy, resourcefulness, and improvisation.
Heads: Cynthia Hathaway, Melle Smets
Coordinator: Nora Morton
Exhibition Tutor: Bart Witte