The historical model

In the 1920s, the artist Johannes Itten developed the so-called Bauhaus preliminary course. Anyone wishing to study art, architecture or design at the Bauhaus university had to complete this craft-oriented foundation course. Bauhaus pedagogy continues to inspire courses at art colleges around the world and at our ‘Bildungsmanufaktur’ in Berlin.
Walter Gropius (1923): Scheme for the structure of teaching at the Bauhaus.
Provided by: Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin.
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2022.

Young People Discover The Potential Inside Them.

Since 2010, up to 70 teenagers and young adults from a wide range of backgrounds have been visiting the Bildungsmanufaktur every day. In our workshops and urban labs, they spend several months working with experienced artists, craftspeople and designers, developing ideas and putting them into practice. Gain new perspectives. Make friends. Gain confidence. In the end, everyone knows what they are made of. That is what counts.

Arrive, catch up, gain confidence and trust

The workshops provide the ideal environment for this. The diversity of the participants, our trainees, is great. For almost ten years, S27’s educational workshop has focused on young refugees and young adults.
A day in the educational factory

For those who need it, the day starts with two hours of German. Then it’s off for a few hours in the creative workshops, Clan B, Kochinsel, LUZI or Studio Ƙarfi. There we work with wood, metal, glass, ceramics, textiles, plastics, paper and food, they cook, design and make things. And  – learning by doing – language and mathematical skills improve.
Orientation, self-confidence, moving on

At the end of each course, the trainees present the results of their work and there is a celebration.
A certificate from the Chamber of Crafts helps them on their way to school, further education and training. Excursions to companies in Berlin also provide orientation. Where there are still problems, an experienced social team provides support, listens, helps with contacts with authorities and agencies, and to think and plan ahead.

Bildungsmanufaktur CITY + Country
In recent years, the project has been successfully established and expanded in Berlin. With the support of the Drosos Foundation, Glashaus Prenzlau and S27 are testing and analysing the extent to which the model can be scaled up and transferred to a rural context.
More info

As different as the situation may be in the big city and in the countryside, what our young trainees have in common are major challenges, disadvantages and insecurities. In Prenzlau, almost a quarter of all young people have problems getting a foothold in the job or education market after leaving school. Alternative offers are scarce, many young people get into an apparent dead end early on and find it difficult to get out of this situation.
This is where the educational concept of the BILDUNGSMANUFAKTUR comes in.
In the city, in the country, everywhere, the following applies: positive experiences with what you create yourself convey self-confidence. I can do it! From here, it is easier to take new steps towards society, the world of work and the world of work.

Free of charge, join at any time
Would you like to join us? Contact us by email at bildungsmanufaktur@s27.de, by phone on +49 30 6177673-26 or come along!

We present: solar trees! Together with our trainees, Manuel Strube transforms the batteries from carelessly discarded disposable e-cigarettes into energy-rich root tubers and the little trees now charge mobile phones, supply USB boxes with electricity, etc. The house raft of our educational manufactory is also something to be proud of: drifting is energy-efficient in any case. Meanwhile, old broken boxes are being turned into new, portable, battery-powered boomboxes. Sustainability, new technologies and low tech – under the title FOXY energy Lab, we are creating an incubator for project practice that focuses on these topics.
The FOXY energy Lab is made possible by the generous support of the Drosos Foundation.
Photos: Maximilian Dreusch, Federica Teti, Burkhard Peter & Michele Caliari, Yvonne Wadewitz, Luis Krummenacher, Milly Reid, Aris Kress-Kallidromitis, Mariana Malho

The various course groups of Bildungsmanufaktur are funded by: