Free Flow Retreat 2025
This year, the free flow takes us for a 2-day retreat to the fantastic and historical Atelierhäuser am Waldrand.
The purpose for the 'free flow' is for mentors and students to spend time together in an alternative mode than the usual school setting.
In a different setting and with different tools, they discuss together interests and topics ranging from the upcoming thesis to life in general.
This is also a special exchange moment for bonding.
To Prepare:
- Bring 2 books that inspire you for your topic in a large or detailed scope.
+ 1 serendipitous book: Go to the library - either ZHdK or a library of your choice. Browse the aisles -except the design section - without looking for something in particular. Open books that attract you from title, cover, look...
- Develop your research interest into a statement of intent and accompany it with a moodboard of inspiring references: art & design projects, conference papers, essays, fiction, etc...
- Review the BA Thesis structure
Date/Location:
20 October 2025 - 09.00-20.00
21 October 2025 - 10.00-15.00
Plan arrival for 8.50 on Monday.
Dinner on 20.10 from 18.00
No sleepover.
Atelierhäuser am Waldrand
Troll AG
Meisenrain 75
8044 Gockhausen Zürich
Transportation - *Possible Itinerary from Zürich HB
From Zürich HB, platform 43/44 (main station)
To Meisenrain 75 (Atelierhäuser am Waldrand)
Zürich Hauptbahnhof nach Meisenrain 75 (Google Maps)
Train departing at 08:00, platform 43/44 (Zürich HB)*
08:16 Departure from Zürich HB – by train S12 (direction Schauffhausen)
08:25 Arrival in Stettbach
08:29 Departure from Stettbach – by bus 751 (direction Zürich, Kirche Fluntern)
08:33 Arrival at Glockhausen, Ursprungstrasse
Walk 3 min (200m) till Meisenrain 75
*Please buy a valid ticket in advance and keep it (incl. receipt) so we can refund the costs.
Participants
Who?
5th semester students
+
Mentors
- Joëlle
- Jürgen
- Roman
- Luke
- Verena
- Duy
Schedule
Monday
9.00-10.00
Arrival: Coffee & Gipfeli, Intro from each person with one personal anecdote
10.00 - 12.00
Library exploration and sharing inspirations
Students and teachers present the 3 books they brought + 1 former BA thesis, showing some inspiring excerpts, aesthetically or content-wise
11.45 We cluster the books together and see if we notice patterns
12.15-13.30
Lunch
13.30-15.30
Walk & discussion - 2 hours
16.00-18.00
Open Mic session - everybody makes a 2 minutes intervention, whether stand-up, freestyling, improv, slam/poetry or monologue
18.00-20.00
Flammenkuchen: Cooking together - bring toppings already cut&prepped (vegetarian exclusive)
Hangout with drinks
Tuesday
10.00-10.30
Arrival: Coffee & Gipfeli
10.30-12.00
Performing ideas in various locations outside with found material, in groups of 2 - they should include inviting others to participate (30mn prep + touring group)
12.00-13.00
Lunch
13.00-14.00
You take the lead - organise 4-5 groups to discuss a theme & mediate the discussion (mentors take turn to join the discussions)
14.00
Last exchange, sharing a thought, word, impression from the two days
Clean
15.00 Departure
Recap activities
- Cooking dinner together (Monday 6pm)
- Bring your topping for Flammenkuchen in advance. Students and teachers cook and clean up together.
- «Ideation walk» through the nature
- itinerary around the house
- Visit a library beforehand and use it as a source for inspiration/discussion.
- Performance
- Writing
Bibliography
(Possibly this might include also Films, Songs, Links, Videos, that refers to the topic)
Books
Baudelaire, Charles, The Painter of Modern Life, Da Capo Press, 1964, Orig. published in Le Figaro, in 1863. See also.
Benjamin, Walter; Tiedemann, Rolf, ed. The Arcades Project, Belknap Press, 2002.
Careri, Francesco, Walkscapes: Walking as an Aesthetic Practice, Gustavo Gili, 2001.
Chatwin, Bruce, The Songlines, Franklin Press, 1987.
Debord, Guy, Theory of the Derive, in Les Lèvres Nues #9, 1956. See also.
Herzog, Werner, Vom Gehen im Eis, Free Associations, 1978.
Rachel, Anthony; Henry, Joel, The Lonely Planet Guide to Experimental Travel, Lonely Planet, 2005. See also.
Films
Tarkovsky, Andrei, Stalker, (1979).