Bootlabor
Workshop in collaboration with Niklas Roy
Junior Lab, Lörrach / 2018
“Bootlabor” is German for “boat laboratory”. As the name implies, the theme of this workshop was making experimental water vehicles. The workshop took place in late summer 2018 in Lörrach as a part of Junior Lab’s summer edition at Werkraum Schöpflin. We filled a huge inflatable pool with fresh water and chose a very open approach to building small boats: no instructions, just lots of different materials, some examples and help. As a warm-up we also made science-experiments with play-dough to see which shapes float and why.
When there are lots of nice materials available in a workshop, it can be a bit overwhelming. Therefore, we established a “hardware store” (“Baumarkt”). Everyone received a budget for material purchases: a set of blue, red and yellow cardboard coins. The hardware store materials were laid out on a table in blue, red and yellow price categories. In the most precious blue category DC motors, 3D-printed propellers, large recycled packaging and cool plastic skulls were offered. The more affordable items included e.g. foamy board materials, popsicle sticks, metal rods, hose, rubber bands and chewing gum for fixing leakages. The last item was very popular, and not only for the purpose initially thought for. We also had a common “recycling center”, where people could donate extra materials that they didn’t need.
Since one person’s budget was limited, in particular concerning the precious blue coins, some teamed up with a friend to make up a fancy motorised boat. However, some were totally happy with a simple vehicle that worked without a motor. Others focused on quantity and made as many different boats as they could, including some submarines (“U-Boot”). Some were spenders and used all the coins at once, buying also quite a bit of chewing gum, while others held on to their cardboard coins, unwilling to spend much. Two participants took financing to another level and made together a gambling machine with their leftover materials to earn more coins. All in all, lots of inventive ways to deal with the coins and boat-building emerged. The concept of the hardware store and budgeting of own projects was also addressed by many participants in our final discussion – surprising us with the level of reflection.
Special thanks to Lars, Meike, Junior Lab and Werkraum Schöpflin for inviting us again to give a workshop. We also greatly appreciate our young helpers from Werkraum Schöpflin, who always assist the workshop participants in a caring way!
“Bootlabor” is German for “boat laboratory”. As the name implies, the theme of this workshop was making experimental water vehicles. The workshop took place in late summer 2018 in Lörrach as a part of Junior Lab’s summer edition at Werkraum Schöpflin. We filled a huge inflatable pool with fresh water and chose a very open approach to building small boats: no instructions, just lots of different materials, some examples and help. As a warm-up we also made science-experiments with play-dough to see which shapes float and why.
When there are lots of nice materials available in a workshop, it can be a bit overwhelming. Therefore, we established a “hardware store” (“Baumarkt”). Everyone received a budget for material purchases: a set of blue, red and yellow cardboard coins. The hardware store materials were laid out on a table in blue, red and yellow price categories. In the most precious blue category DC motors, 3D-printed propellers, large recycled packaging and cool plastic skulls were offered. The more affordable items included e.g. foamy board materials, popsicle sticks, metal rods, hose, rubber bands and chewing gum for fixing leakages. The last item was very popular, and not only for the purpose initially thought for. We also had a common “recycling center”, where people could donate extra materials that they didn’t need.
Since one person’s budget was limited, in particular concerning the precious blue coins, some teamed up with a friend to make up a fancy motorised boat. However, some were totally happy with a simple vehicle that worked without a motor. Others focused on quantity and made as many different boats as they could, including some submarines (“U-Boot”). Some were spenders and used all the coins at once, buying also quite a bit of chewing gum, while others held on to their cardboard coins, unwilling to spend much. Two participants took financing to another level and made together a gambling machine with their leftover materials to earn more coins. All in all, lots of inventive ways to deal with the coins and boat-building emerged. The concept of the hardware store and budgeting of own projects was also addressed by many participants in our final discussion – surprising us with the level of reflection.
Special thanks to Lars, Meike, Junior Lab and Werkraum Schöpflin for inviting us again to give a workshop. We also greatly appreciate our young helpers from Werkraum Schöpflin, who always assist the workshop participants in a caring way!
