Recap: Opening of the Academic Year 2024-25 at De Effenaar
Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) kicked off the new academic year in the drizzling rain, on a quiet Tuesday 3rd. De Effenaar provided refuge for the queuing Master and Bachelor students and Educational and Organisational staff as they stood outside waiting with umbrellas, to be admitted to the building. The line grew larger as Parker Hertzberger, like the Pied piper of Hamlin recruited them on his bicycle as he rode around the grounds of De Effenaar, not by blowing on a magic flute, but by towing his own boombox that he built, blasting music.
As the students piled into the space, lined the balcony and squeezed into the doorway, they stood eagerly awaiting for the Executive board, Joseph Grima and Raf De Keninck, to give their welcoming speeches. For students this is a way of understanding the continued direction of the school, a time to listen to personal anecdotes within design and to learn about any big changes happening within DAE.
Creative Director Joseph Grima was the first on the microphone. He spoke about how students’ time at DAE is of course an individual journey but also a collective one. Grima referenced and drew parallels with Buckminster’s Fullers book “Guinea Pig B” which is an account of how Fuller, aged 32 decided, with his limited resources and small circle of influence, to dedicate his life to making the world a better place. By testing his own ideas on his own life, B for Buckminster. Grima encouraged the students to do the same.
De Keninck welcomed the students into the new academic year. He started off the speech by communicating to the students that the new location of DAE would be the Kanaalzone. 250 Student homes would also be built in the area known as “de Caai” within the Koelhuis District. Thus creating the healthy educational environment that will further fuel the design eco system that exists within Eindhoven.
Then De Keninck sent a stark message to the students and politicians by speaking courageously about the latest political situation where the coalition governments has announced a €1 billion cutback on higher education funding.
