A School of Schools: A journey in pictures

A first look at the six “schools” that the curators of the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial distributed in some of the most important Istanbul’s cultural institutions.

The Physical Geography of the Sea – Studio Folder (Marco Ferrari, Elisa Pasqual, Pietro Leoni) Currents School explores information networks, spheres and connections—both digital and analogue, abstract and embodied —to critically examine technologies and hierarchies

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Istanbul Techno-tourism – Ana Peñalba

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Fugu Okulu – åbäke

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

No-Stop Classroom – Farzin Lot -Jam and Mark Wasiuta

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

ARGO – Radioee.net and PUB Radio

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Transitional School – Aformal Academy and ARK.WORLD

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

OpenSesame – CMP Office

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Stitching Worlds – Ebru Kurbak, Irene Posh

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The Embroidered Computer – Ebru Kurbak, Irene Posh

Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Body of Trust – Mark Henning

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Deep Digital Twin – Legrand Jäger

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Genetically Modified Generation (Designer Babies) – Pınar Yoldaş Scales School investigates the fluidity of taxonomies, quantifications, and established norms, standards and values, to highlight scientific and cultural biases and assumptions

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Notes on Miniature – Aslı Çiçek

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

III+1 – Lukas Wegwerth

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Ambiguous Standards Institute – Cansu Cürgen and Avsar Gürpınar

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Of Instruments and Archetypes – Unfold

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Acting Things VII, School of Fluid Measures – Judith Seng

  Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018  

The Life of Things – ECAL + MacGuffin Magazine

Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The School of Earthquake Diplomacy – Navine G. Khan-Dossos 
 Earth School asks what natural is, what disaster is, what progress, and who is in charge when the planet and human are forced to renegotiate our precarious relationship

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Hope on Water – SO? and collaborators

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Blooming Algae – Atelier LUMA Algae Lab

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Blooming Algae – Atelier LUMA Algae Lab

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Staying Alive – SulSolSal

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Staying Alive – SulSolSal

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Chinese Seismic Investigations – Nina Wiesnagrotzki

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

If Algae Mattered... – New South

Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Flag Cloud Word Rain – Peter Zin Digestion School learns from metabolic systems, patterns of consumption, cultural rituals and food infrastructure to consider how circular and lifelong learning manifest

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Before Everything Forgetten and Vanished – Lifepatch

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The People’s Dispensary – Eat Art Collective

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Palaver + Palaver – Mae-ling Lokko, Nana Ofori-Atta Ayim, Selassie Ataditka, Gustavo Crembil Digestion School learns from metabolic systems, patterns of consumption, cultural rituals and food infrastructure to consider how circular and lifelong learning manifest

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Palaver + Palaver – Mae-ling Lokko, Nana Ofori-Atta Ayim, Selassie Ataditka, Gustavo Crembil

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

From Marketplace – Gamze Gündüz, Güher Tan, Tangör Tan

Veduta dell'installazione, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Colloquy of Vessels, Faciality Machine – Carlos Monleón

Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Artık Uyku Yok, Artık Yok – Danilo Correale Time School travels from accelerationism to deep time, through contested pasts and speculative futures, to shift durational perspectives and the objects that dictate them

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Circadian Space – Helga Schmid

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Google Weaving Stop-time – Emelie Röndahl and collaborators

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Commonplace Book – Commonplace Studio, Jesse Howard and Tim Knapen

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Fieldstation: Time (Inhabiting Time) – Ecole Mondiale

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

I Am (Not) A Monster – Nelly Ben Hayoun

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

An I: Talking to My Digital Self – Camilo Oliveira Unmaking School emphasises that the irrepressible human instinct to be creative is a pedagogical dynamo that drives innovation, redefines work, and reshapes our cities

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Docendo Discimus Instrumantae – FABB and contributors

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Water School – Studio Makking & Bey and contributors

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The Post-Labouratory – Ottonie von Roeder

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Crossing Parallels – Amandine David

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Map Section – Kerim Bayer

Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

On 22 September 2018 – after two days of previews, conversations, workshops and mental stratching – the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial opened its doors to the public. Curated by Jan Boelen, with Vera Sacchetti and Nadine Botha, “A school of schools” has been distributed in some of the city’s main venues. Here we propose a visual tour of the selected projects, aggregated by the curators in six thematic schools: Unmaking School (located at Akbank Sanat), Currents School (Yapı Kredi Culture Centre), Earth School (Arter), Scales School (Pera Museum), Time School (SALT Galata), Digestion School (Studio-X). The exhibition design is by architect Asli Çiçek and product designer Lukas Wegwerth: a modular system that adapts to different locations and helps make the biennial a unified exhibition.

Cover image: The Physical Geography of the Sea – Studio Folder (Marco Ferrari, Elisa Pasqual, Pietro Leoni). Photo Delfino Sisto Legnani

The Physical Geography of the Sea – Studio Folder (Marco Ferrari, Elisa Pasqual, Pietro Leoni) Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Currents School explores information networks, spheres and connections—both digital and analogue, abstract and embodied —to critically examine technologies and hierarchies

Istanbul Techno-tourism – Ana Peñalba Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Fugu Okulu – åbäke Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

No-Stop Classroom – Farzin Lot -Jam and Mark Wasiuta Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

ARGO – Radioee.net and PUB Radio Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Transitional School – Aformal Academy and ARK.WORLD Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

OpenSesame – CMP Office Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Stitching Worlds – Ebru Kurbak, Irene Posh Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The Embroidered Computer – Ebru Kurbak, Irene Posh Installation view, Yapı Kredi Culture Centre, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Body of Trust – Mark Henning Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Deep Digital Twin – Legrand Jäger Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Genetically Modified Generation (Designer Babies) – Pınar Yoldaş Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Scales School investigates the fluidity of taxonomies, quantifications, and established norms, standards and values, to highlight scientific and cultural biases and assumptions

Notes on Miniature – Aslı Çiçek Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

III+1 – Lukas Wegwerth Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Ambiguous Standards Institute – Cansu Cürgen and Avsar Gürpınar Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Of Instruments and Archetypes – Unfold Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Acting Things VII, School of Fluid Measures – Judith Seng   Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018  

The Life of Things – ECAL + MacGuffin Magazine Installation view, Pera Museum, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The School of Earthquake Diplomacy – Navine G. Khan-Dossos 
 Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Earth School asks what natural is, what disaster is, what progress, and who is in charge when the planet and human are forced to renegotiate our precarious relationship

Hope on Water – SO? and collaborators Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Blooming Algae – Atelier LUMA Algae Lab Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Blooming Algae – Atelier LUMA Algae Lab Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Staying Alive – SulSolSal Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Staying Alive – SulSolSal Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018



Chinese Seismic Investigations – Nina Wiesnagrotzki Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

If Algae Mattered... – New South Installation view, Arter, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Flag Cloud Word Rain – Peter Zin Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Digestion School learns from metabolic systems, patterns of consumption, cultural rituals and food infrastructure to consider how circular and lifelong learning manifest

Before Everything Forgetten and Vanished – Lifepatch Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The People’s Dispensary – Eat Art Collective Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Palaver + Palaver – Mae-ling Lokko, Nana Ofori-Atta Ayim, Selassie Ataditka, Gustavo Crembil Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Digestion School learns from metabolic systems, patterns of consumption, cultural rituals and food infrastructure to consider how circular and lifelong learning manifest

Palaver + Palaver – Mae-ling Lokko, Nana Ofori-Atta Ayim, Selassie Ataditka, Gustavo Crembil Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

From Marketplace – Gamze Gündüz, Güher Tan, Tangör Tan Veduta dell'installazione, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Colloquy of Vessels, Faciality Machine – Carlos Monleón Installation view, Studio X, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Artık Uyku Yok, Artık Yok – Danilo Correale Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Time School travels from accelerationism to deep time, through contested pasts and speculative futures, to shift durational perspectives and the objects that dictate them

Circadian Space – Helga Schmid Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Google Weaving Stop-time – Emelie Röndahl and collaborators Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

A Commonplace Book – Commonplace Studio, Jesse Howard and Tim Knapen Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Fieldstation: Time (Inhabiting Time) – Ecole Mondiale Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

I Am (Not) A Monster – Nelly Ben Hayoun Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

An I: Talking to My Digital Self – Camilo Oliveira Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Unmaking School emphasises that the irrepressible human instinct to be creative is a pedagogical dynamo that drives innovation, redefines work, and reshapes our cities

Docendo Discimus Instrumantae – FABB and contributors Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Water School – Studio Makking & Bey and contributors Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

The Post-Labouratory – Ottonie von Roeder Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Crossing Parallels – Amandine David Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018

Map Section – Kerim Bayer Installation view, Salt Galata, 4. Istanbul Design Biennial, 2018