The First Educational Workshop “The fortified church – a place of learning” – An Exercise in Imagination and Heritage Exploration
We are delighted to present the first educational workshop in the “School in the Fortress” series, organized in partnership with the De-a Arhitectura Association – Sibiu Branch, and carried out together with the 3rd-grade students of the Primary School in Cristian, Sibiu County.
Our goal was to bring together passionate, inspiring professionals and curious, creative young minds to explore, through play and learning, a bold and imaginative question:
What would we love to experience and do within the walls of a fortified church?
Guided by three inspirational architects – Anca Bordean, Carmen Șandru, and Diana Constantinescu – the children took part in an interactive quiz to discover the architectural features and unique elements of the fortified church in Cristian. They were then invited to imagine new and diverse future uses for the church ensemble, giving form to their ideas using various materials provided during the workshop.
The result was a colorful, vibrant model filled with creative proposals such as a restaurant, an animal shelter, sports fields, and even an outdoor swimming pool – a wonderful reflection of how children see heritage: not as something static, but as a living, open space full of possibilities.
We are grateful for the openness of the class teacher, who supported this hands-on learning experience, and we were truly impressed by the enthusiasm, curiosity, and cooperative spirit of the children.
We hope to have inspired them and offered a memorable encounter with built heritage – one that was playful, relaxed, and creative.
