Zurich, COMPARE symposium on self-organization

At its final gathering the COMPARE project, together with ‘old’ and new friends, organizes an interdisciplinary symposium on self-organization, April 27-30th. We explore three main practices of self-organization: engineering and automation, complementary currencies, and urban cooperatives and self-managed spaces. In various locations in Zurich will take place dedicated workshops on the different topics, guided visits, public events, and time for socialization. Our guests are welcome to participate in any parts of the program that they find interesting: see a map with all important locations.

NEW: The first version of the summary report of the symposium is available here.

Monday, April 27th

Self-organization from an engineering perspective

Location: ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, Room ETZ E.81

9:30-10:00 Welcome

10:00-10:30 Introduction to the COMPARE project (Ileana Apostol and Panayotis Antoniadis, ETH Zurich and nethood.org)

10:30-11:30 Research on self-organization at the Communications Systems Group (Prof. Bernhard Plattner, Markus Happe, ETH Zurich)

11:30-12:00 Discussion

12:00-13:00 Guided tour to the ETH’s Flying Machine Arena, for a demo of self-organizing UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vechicles)

13:15-14:30 Lunch at ETH Dozentenfoyer

14:30-16:00 Guided tour in the city of Zurich (on history, urban planning and self-organization) by Philipp Klaus (INURA)

Self-organization and cooperatives

Location: Kraftwerk cooperative, Hardturmstrasse 269, 8005 Zürich

17:00-18:00 Guided visit to the Kraftwerk cooperative (introductory material in English is available in pdf by Andreas Wirz and P.M.)

18:00-19:00 Introduction to the cooperative movement and the case of Kraftwerk (Andreas Wirz, Archipel GmbH, Wohnbaugenossenschaften Zürich)

19:00-21:00 Dinner and discussion

Tuesday, April 28th

Full day workshop on complementary currencies

Location: ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, Room ETZ E.81

09:00-11:00 Panel: Success stories

Presenters: Claudio Gisler (WIR-Bank), Giuseppe Littera (Sardex.net), Isidor Wallimann (BonNetzBon Basel), Goran Jeras (E-Banka)

Discussant: Jens Martignoni (Flexibles)

11:00-11:30 Break

11:30-13:00 Panel: Theory and the big picture

Presenters: Paolo Dini (London School of Economics), Luca Fantacci (Universita Bocconi), Laura Sartori (University of Bologna)

Discussant: Alexandros Kioupkiolis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

13:15-14:15 Lunch at ETH Dozentenfoyer

14:30-16:00 Panel on complementary currencies and cooperatives: combining the elements

Presenters: Jens Martignoni (Flexibles), Lucas Huber (Jeema solutions), Philipp Degens (University of Cologne)

Discussant: Panayotis Antoniadis (ETH Zurich)

16:00-16:30 Break

16:30-18:00 Panel: From grassroots movements to global change

Presenters: Philipp Klaus (INURA), Alexandros Kioupkiolis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Brett Scott (independent activist)

Discussant: Ileana Apostol (ETH Zurich)

20:00 Dinner and the discussion continues

Discussion topics: Key design choices, relevant questions, transfer of knowledge etc.

Wednesday, April 29th

Self-organization and cooperatives (cont’d)

Location: Kalkbreite cooperative, Kalkbreitestrasse 2, 8003 Zurich

10:30-12:30 Guided visit to the Kalkbreite cooperative

12:30-13:30 Lunch at Kalkbreite

13:30-16:30 Panel: Self-managed spaces

Location: Kalkbreite Room Flex 3

Presenters: Vesna Tomse (“Wem gehört Zürich?”), Iva Cukic and Marko Aksentijevic (Ministry of Space, Belgrade), Marc Neelen (STEALTH.unlimited, Rotterdam), Marc André Angst (Royal Baden)

Discussant: Philipp Klaus (INURA)

16:30-19:00 Free time

19:00-22:00 The COMPARE Assembly

Location: Hohlzke, Hohlstrasse 612, 8048 Zurich (near Zurich Altstetten station), http://hohlzke.org/

The COMPARE assembly is a semi-public event where locals and visitors will form a big circle sharing our experiences on self-organization, discuss some of the relevant questions that arose during the project timeframe, and draw a few policy suggestions. There will be also a dinner-buffet and opportunities for socialization.

Thursday, April 30th

Day of relaxation … and self-organization

List of participants

Alexandros Kioupkiolis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, https://auth.academia.edu/AlexandrosKioupkiolis

Andreas Wirz, Archipel GmbH, Wohnbaugenossenschaften Zürich, http://www.wbg-zh.ch/startseite/uber-uns/vorstand/

Bernhard Plattner, ETH Zurich, http://www.csg.ethz.ch/people/plattner

Brett Scott, independent activist, http://suitpossum.blogspot.it/

Christian Schmid, ETH Zurich, http://www.soziologie.arch.ethz.ch/en/prof-dr-christian-schmid2

Claudio Gisler, WIR, https://twitter.com/claudiogisler

Fred Frohofer, Neustart Schweiz, http://neustartschweiz.ch

Giuseppe Littera, Sardex.net, http://sardex.net/

Goran Jeras, Ebanka, http://www.ebanka.eu/