School/Study
Concrete ART Project 2025
In the first week of July 2025, creativity and concrete ideas came together once again: the fourth edition of the concrete art project was launched in Dresden and Aachen as part of the CRC/TRR 280. Children and young people joined artists and scientists in exploring the world of sustainable construction—with concrete as the material of the future. In a playful and experimental atmosphere, interdisciplinary workshops gave rise to ideas, objects, and a great deal of curiosity about the construction of tomorrow.
We are delighted to be able to offer this exciting holiday program – with a great deal of commitment, imagination, and enthusiasm for science and design.
Location Dresden
Curious, Creative, Concrete – A Week of Hands-On Exploration
From June 30 to July 4, 2025, Dresden once again became a hub of mixing, molding, and making. For the fourth time, the Concrete ART Project — a collaboration between the Collaborative Research Center/Transregio 280 at TU Dresden and the Dresden Youth Art School — offered a unique summer experience for children. Over the course of five days, 22 kids aged 8 to 14 discovered concrete from an entirely new perspective not just as a building material, but as a medium full of creative potential.
In four different workshops at Schloss Albrechtsberg, the young participants explored the versatility of concrete in combination with materials such as wood, clay, textiles, and paper. They experimented, researched, modeled, painted—and were often amazed. What seems heavy and gray at first glance can be transformed in the right hands into imaginative decorations, sculptures, or small everyday objects.
The creative workshop work was enriched by a nature-focused excursion across the grounds of Schloss Albrechtsberg. Here, the children learned about the brilliant construction tricks found in nature: How do blades of grass manage to stay upright? Why do maple seeds fly like little helicopters? And how does touch-me-not (Impatiens) work? The group also discussed how much energy is needed to produce just one kilogram of concrete and why learning from nature is essential for building more sustainably.
As in previous years, the project was supported by an interdisciplinary team of artists and researchers from TU Dresden. They provided technical support, scientific insight, and exciting hands-on experiments related to carbon concrete and sustainable building technologies.
A highlight of the week was the final exhibition, where the children proudly presented their creations to their families demonstrating how inspiring the fusion of art and science can truly be.
The project was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and participation was free of charge.
Participant Age Range: 8–14 years
Location: Schloss Albrechtsberg – Arts & Crafts Workshop, Ceramics Studio, Left and Right Coach Houses
Fee: Free of charge – funded by DFG
Instructors: Nadine Wölk, Nella Chrominski, Naomi Bick, Andreas Eckard
Scientific Support: Kerstin Speck, Silke Scheerer, Tobias Hatzfeld, Johannes Reimer, Lissy Flechsig, Leonie Koch, Skerdilajt Cengu, Jasmin Dräger, Jonathan Schmidt, Silvia Reißig and Berk Gündogdu
Educational Support: Johanna Rehm
Public Relations Support: Stefan Gröschel
Dates: June 30 – July 4, 2025, from 10 AM to 5 PM each day
Aachen
Concrete, Mathematics and Moon Rock – Workshop Weeks in Aachen
This year, the Youth Education Center Rollefer Berg once again hosted the Concrete Art Project as part of the Workshop Weeks. From August 18 to 22, children and young people had the opportunity not only to work creatively with concrete, but also to gain insights into exciting scientific topics.
Building lighter with concrete – mathematics makes it possible
In the morning, young scientists visited the workshops and explained why mathematics and algebra play a crucial role in construction. New construction strategies in geometry help to make building components lighter, more stable, and even reusable – an important step towards sustainable construction.
Creating Moon Rock on Earth
A highlight came from Linda Cortes of the RWTH Aachen Institute of Textile Technology. She explained how artificial moon rock can be produced on Earth – making it possible to experiment here before eventually building directly with lunar material. This not only saves transport costs but also opens up innovative opportunities for sustainable construction in space.
Experiencing Concrete Firsthand
In the afternoon, Antonio Nunez and Nico Schneider guided the children in creating small buildings and cubes out of concrete. This made the link between theory and practice tangible – and sparked curiosity for topics beyond everyday school life.
Thinking Together About the Future
The project highlighted how important interdisciplinarity is for research and teaching. When mathematics, material science, and creativity come together, ideas for the future are born – leaving a lasting impression on all participants.
The project was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), and participation was free of charge.
Participant Age Range: 7–16 years
Location: Jugendbildungsstätte Rolleferberg, Rollefbachweg 64, 52078 Aachen
Fee: Free of charge – funded by DFG
Instructors: Antonio Nunez und Nico Schneider
Scientific Support: Meike Weiß, Reimond Akpanya und Sascha Stüttgen, Linda
Technic Support: Mike Güldenberg
Educational Support: Teamer of Werkwochen
Public Relations Support: Angela Alvarez y Leal
Dates: August 18 – August 22, 2025, from 10 AM to 4.30 PM each day
