Class 2024
WATERSCHOOL:
A Speculation in Four Seasons
The Design Campus summer program is a “School of Utopias”. It is a visionary design school set to explore complex problems, dream bold ideas, and collaboratively build new ways forward. Curated by a different Head of School each year, the curriculum will investigate a specific theme. The students and faculty will explore the research question through a series of workshops, lectures, talks, exhibits, and other public programs. The summer school will be a spring board for future projects in the museum, its environs, and its network.
Class 2024
WATERSCHOOL: A Speculation in Four Seasons
by Studio Makkink & Bey
In the battle against water scarcity and for sustainable water management, Studio Makkink & Bey leads the global initiative, WaterSchool. This design research project creates holistic educational spaces worldwide, focusing on water as a vital material and a social, economic, and political phenomenon.
WaterSchool aims to raise awareness of our massive water footprint and advocates for rethinking societal, economic, and infrastructural models, prioritizing local production through small-scale (industrial) collaborations with artists, designers, and local partners.
This vision promotes sustainable living, learning, and working, emphasizing the sustainable use of energy, water, and resources, and the equitable interaction between all organisms, communities, and their environments. This creates new speculative production landscapes and alternative forms of architecture and urban/rural development.
Breaking new ground, the DESIGN CAMPUS will host a MUSEUM exhibition and Summer SCHOOL at Schloss Hubertusburg in Wermsdorf, a thrilling departure from its traditional location in Dresden. It is also the first time the WaterSchool will take place in a rural setting. This move underscores the commitment of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden to outreach and mobility, decentralizing culture, and challenging the rural vs. urban divide inherent in our society.
By fusing the work of artists and designers within this speculative framework, the WaterSchool hints toward a future where art and design are more integrated into society, education, and life in general. In addition to collecting and disseminating knowledge, the WaterSchool's “learning by doing” approach also serves as a testing ground and catalyst for the sustainable (re)development of a neighborhood or a community. This year, the WaterSchool imagines Schloss Hubertusburg as a place of learning—as the DESIGN CAMPUS Summer SCHOOL and MUSEUM exhibition—forming connections with the productive landscapes around it: in the fields of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, or the domestic economy.
The DESIGN CAMPUS Summer School 2024 at Schloss Hubertusburg, reimagines conventional building utilization, embracing the cyclical ebb and flow of nature. As spring breathes life into the landscape, the castle awakens, buzzing with activity, only to gracefully retreat as winter's chill descends. This contemplative approach inspires reflection on the symbiosis between human activities and the environment, sparking dialogue on adaptive strategies amidst climate change.
Through a series of workshops, exhibition visits, and lectures, participants of the Summer School will collaborate as a creative collective, exploring innovative concepts and pushing the boundaries of sustainable living and water management. The focus extends beyond mere solutions, encouraging an imaginative dialogue that paves the way for an environmentally conscious future.
* WaterSchool
Since 2012, Studio Makkink & Bey has been establishing WaterSchools worldwide, showcased through exhibitions in various locations such as Dwarka, India, as part of the Climate Challenge of What Design Can Do, contributions to the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam and the Istanbul Design Biennial, and participation in Atelier Luma in Arles, France, among others. This year marks a significant shift as the WaterSchool transforms into a comprehensive educational program integrating a MUSEUM exhibition with the DESIGN CAMPUS Summer School, creating a combined learning and production landscape. Notably, this is the first time the WaterSchool will take place in Germany, and in a rural setting.
Studio Makkink & Bey
Studio Makkink & Bey, founded by architect Rianne Makkink and designer Jurgen Bey, pioneers interdisciplinary design since 2002. Their ethos prioritizes process over product, expanding the designer’s role strategically through diverse collaborations. Crafting narratives in product, furniture, and interior design, they explore urban planning and human behavior, infusing objects with contemporary relevance. Makkink’s architectural expertise and Bey’s visionary ideation converge, shaping environments that blur boundaries between art, design, and architecture.
Their work can be found in museums across the world, such as le Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Stedelijk in Amsterdam. Their clients include, among others: Vitra, Droog Design, Hermes, Jean Paul Gaultier and Sketch.
WEEK 1
28/7 – 03/8/2024
Spring: Domestic Economy
WEEK 2
25/8 – 31/8/2024
Summer: Agriculture
TERRIFIC VIEWS
- Matter+Meta
EXTRAORDINARY VISIONS
- Studio Makkink & Bey
- Matilde Patuelli and Roberta Di Cosmo
WEEK 3
01/9 – 07/9/2024
Summer: Agriculture
CULTIVATING GRATITUDE
- Johanna Seelemann
WEEK 4
08/9 – 14/9/2024
Winter: Forestry
WEEK 5
06/10 – 12/10/2024
Autumn: Aquaculture
HOT POOLING
- Francesco Apuzzo /raumlaborberlin
LOCATION
This year, we move the Design Campus Summer School to Hubertusburg Castle, the largest hunting lodge in Europe, and explore the surrounding area of the village of Wermsdorf in relation to the exhibition "WaterSchool: A Speculation in Four Seasons" by Studio Makkink & Bey, located at the castle.
Address: Königliche Jagdresidenz Schloss Hubertusburg, Hubertusburgerstraße 1, 04779 Wermsdorf
COSTS
The participation fee includes: a 7-day workshop (5-day workshop + arrival/departure days), accommodation (6 nights), and a framework program.
370 € — Regular Fee
*All other costs, such as travel, meals, and excursions, are to be paid by the participants themselves.
ACCOMMODATION
We will stay in the village center at the Wermsdorf Kinder- und Jugendhaus, about a 10-minute walk from Hubertusburg Castle. This cozy place, situated in a historic site next to the old hunting lodge, offers shared rooms with bunk beds. Please bring a towel and, if possible, bed linen (otherwise extra costs will incur). There is a well-equipped kitchen in the accommodation where you can cook. Community living and cooking are integral to the WaterSchool concept. Supermarkets are within walking distance.
Address: Wermsdorf Kinder- und Jugendhaus, Clara-Zetkin-Straße 16, 04779 Wermsdorf
ARRIVAL
Although this is a rural area that requires time to travel to, we recommend using public transportation to get a sense of the landscape and environment. Depending on your starting location, flying might be considered, but please think of your water footprint!
By train: The regional train runs hourly between Leipzig and Dresden (RE50) and stops at “Oschatz” station. Bus route 801 runs frequently and takes you directly to the bus stop "Hirschplatz Wermsdorf" (approx. 45 min). From there, it is only a few minutes' walk to the accommodation.
By airplane: The closest airport to Hubertusburg Castle is Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ). Dresden Airport (DRS), Prague Airport (PRG), and Berlin Airport (BER) are also options. From all airports, there are connections by public transport (train, bus).
By car: Take the motorway (A14) exit 32 “Mutzschen” and follow the signs to Wermsdorf. Instructions can also be found here.
CHECK-IN & WORKSHOPS
Check-in is possible on Sunday afternoon from 3 pm to 5 pm. On Sunday evening, there will be a small welcome event for all participants.
The workshops will begin on Monday morning at 9 am, after a guided tour of the grounds of Hubertusburg Castle and the exhibition "WaterSchool: A Speculation in Four Seasons."
Following the tutors' introductions to their topics, the workshops will begin. The schedule for the week is determined by the tutors together with their participants. Please bring your regular working equipment and devices. Specific requirements for each workshop will be communicated beforehand if needed.
During free periods, the extensive area around Hubertusburg Castle and Wermsdorf is perfect for jogging and walking in the fields, forests, or along the lakes.
Throughout the week, there will be several evening social events, culminating in a public OPEN STUDIO and closing party on the last Friday.
DEPARTURE & CHECK-OUT
All courses end on Saturday. Check-out from the accommodation is no later than 11 am, and departure needs to be organized individually.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Design Campus is an organization under the administration of the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. The Design Campus is open to anyone interested in changing the world through design, regardless of age, nationality, training, or cultural background. Participants at the Design Campus must be 18 years of age or older.
APPLICATION
Applications for the Design Campus must be made via the application form available on the website www.designcampus.org. By submitting the application, you accept the general terms and conditions.
The application is non-transferable.
A place in the workshop is only guaranteed once the tuition fee has been paid.
Only completed applications will be processed. If the maximum number of participants in a workshop (see below) is reached, additional applicants will not be offered a place.
If the applicant does not meet the application requirements of the Design Campus, a place in the workshops will not be offered.
PARTICIPATION
Participation in each workshop is limited to a maximum of fifteen (15) participants and cannot be exceeded.
The price listed in the practical information includes VAT in EUROS (€).
The fee covers the cost of participation in a seven (7) day workshop, with instruction by a qualified tutor, use of our studio and equipment during workshop hours, attendance at various events organized by the Design Campus, and accommodation for six (6) nights.
The course fee does not cover the cost of travel to and from Wermsdorf, meals, excursions, and individual activities.
Workshops can only be booked for the full duration.
TERMS OF PAYMENT
With the payment of the course fee of 370 € (including VAT), your participation is confirmed.
Registration is binding and requires upfront payment. When you complete an order via the SKD online shop (see the link with listed workshops), you will receive an order number on the confirmation page and/or confirmation email. Please copy this order number into the field next to the workshop. Do not close this form; your registration is not complete until the orders are finalized. Please also keep your valid order number ready when checking in at the accommodation.
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
Registration is binding. Workshop participation can be canceled without penalty up to one week before the workshop begins.
For cancellations after this deadline, 50% of the course fee will still be due.
A 100% refund will only be issued in cases of illness, accident, or death (of the individual or a family member), provided there is acceptable documentation as determined by the Design Campus team. Cancellation should be made immediately. Cancellation due to delayed visa issuance, etc., cannot be accepted.
All other reasons, including but not limited to dissatisfaction or program changes, do not entitle a participant to a refund.
Should the Design Campus have to cancel a workshop, all payments will be refunded.
INSURANCE
The Design Campus is not liable for accidents, theft, or any damages of any kind that occur during the workshop. Each participant is responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage for the duration of the workshop: accident, liability, and medical insurance for travel abroad, including return transportation to your home country (evacuation), as well as theft insurance for your personal belongings.
COURSE LOCATION
The course location is Hubertusburg Castle in Wermsdorf. All participants are responsible for the duty of care and commit to respecting the house rules of the respective locations and following all corresponding regulations. The house rules will be provided at check-in. Any deficiencies must be reported to the Design Campus team.
SECURITY MEASURES
Participants are advised that allergens may be present in the studio spaces, exhibition areas, accommodations, and materials used. Participants are required to take the necessary precautions for their own health and safety concerning allergies.
Entrance to the Design Campus Summer School at Hubertusburg Castle, Wermsdorf, organized by Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, is restricted to participants, tutors, and members of the Design Campus staff. Other visitors may access the premises of the Summer School only after registering beforehand via designcampus@skd.museum and being accompanied by Design Campus staff. Exceptions may be organized by the Design Campus team.
VALIDITY
These terms and conditions are valid from 01.06.2024. Verbal subsidiary agreements require written confirmation by the administration of the Design Campus, Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, and have no effect on the general terms and conditions of the Design Campus.
Place of jurisdiction: Dresden
CONTACT
Design Campus
Kunstgewerbemuseum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Schloss Pillnitz
August-Böckstiegel-Straße 2, 01326 Dresden