Codam / Education

Amsterdam

More information

Codam is a cutting edge, new computer coding school in Amsterdam which, Corinne Vigreux, the founder of the children’s charity Sofronie is spear-heading. It will make a fantastic contribution to Amsterdam’s computer science industry providing job worthy education to people regardless of their experience or economic background.

Location Codam

15 minutes away from the Central Station at a former military zone, you will find Codam. The Marine Terrain has a very unique position in the city. It is an island with its own character. It is a breeding ground for start-ups and scale-up companies. For dreamers who want to be commercially and internationally workable. Here, the energy that is necessary for effective working vibrates. Things are developed in miniature so that they can be implemented later step by step. The administrative, educational, military, financial and ecological all come together here. In addition, you escape the commotion of the city center that is so close.

Codam provides its students with free tuition and 24/7 access. The school is in English and invites those aged 18 – 30 to teach themselves computer coding through teacherless peer-to-peer group learning.

The design

The original building was a horizontal two storey, post-war barracks for Dutch military personnel. The design of OZ softens the building. This way it is more inspiring for students. We re-painted and enveloped the barracks into an elegant timber frame. They connect the building to the green surroundings. As you enter, OZ has lightly retrofitted the functional interior. So that it is high performing and welcoming for computer coders. It will be possible to play giant chess in front of the reception as you can do

Codam’s unique philosophy 

Codam has a peer-to-peer philosophy where students learn from students. Codam designed this philosophy to stimulate students to develop their own study program, identity and culture of learning together. The school accommodates this by providing students with informal seating areas and beanbag lounges for group learning. There will be a game room and a terrace for groups of students to enjoy. There will be an auditorium for guest speakers to make presentations at lunchtime, a green room for students to make their own films as well as a Lego room for students to materialize their thoughts.

Codam’s sister school Ecole 42 in Paris has invigorated computer coding tuition in Europe with schools being completed in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Moscow. The decision to make the school teacherless is a breakthrough in 21st century social problem solving because it gives the students the space to come forward, teach themselves, develop their own culture and lead their education in their own way.

View a brochure about Codam

More about the vision of Codam and the location in Amsterdam; click here for the news item Een Vandaag