What age group is Hüttenspiel suitable for?

The offer is aimed at elementary school children according to the event description.

When does the workshop take place?

The workshop takes place on September 30, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

What is the cost of participation?

Participation on the date is free of charge.

Where does Hüttenspiel take place?

The workshop takes place at St. Anna – Hatay Engin Music Hall, Kapellenstraße 6, 45881 Gelsenkirchen.

What do the children do at Hüttenspiel?

The children create their own space using branches, fabrics, colors, and simple techniques while collaboratively developing ideas for a vibrant installation.

Is registration required?

The available event information does not mention any mandatory registration. Families should check current information from the organizer before visiting.

Little Builders, Big Ideas: Hüttenspiel Offers Families Creative Time in Gelsenkirchen

Name: Manifesta 16 Ruhr – Constructlab – Hüttenspiel – A Place for Children
Start: 2026-09-30T16:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-30T17:00:00+02:00
Location: St. Anna – Hatay Engin Musikhalle

Hüttenspiel in Gelsenkirchen: Children design their own place

On September 30, 2026, the artist network Constructlab invites elementary school children to a special family experience as part of Manifesta 16 Ruhr. In Hüttenspiel, children transform their ideas, curiosity, and joy of building together into their own space.

With imagination, hands, and simple materials

The child-friendly workshop format combines art, architecture, and play. Inspired by hut building in the forest, children develop their own ideas of a good place in an urban environment. Branches, fabrics, colors, and simple techniques become building blocks for a vibrant installation.

Learning fun and self-efficacy

Through collaborative planning and designing, elementary school children experience how individual ideas come together to form a collective outcome. The age-appropriate learning experience fosters creativity, spatial thinking, communication, and the feeling of being able to make a difference. Children are encouraged to experiment, change, and actively shape their surroundings.

An educational program for school and community

Hüttenspiel is part of the Manifesta 16 Ruhr educational program School, Neighborhood, and Us. The project is created in collaboration with Kurt-Schuhmacher-Straße Elementary School and the Department of Spatial Planning at the Technical University of Dortmund. The creative work is supported by experts from various disciplines of the Constructlab network and students from TU Dortmund.

A special place for shared experiences

The workshop takes place at St. Anna – Hatay Engin Music Hall in Gelsenkirchen. The former church space now serves as an inclusive meeting place for culture, exchange, and community. This special atmosphere makes the family event an invitation to marvel, build, and discover new perspectives on spaces and neighborhoods together.

Important notes for families

The offer is aimed at elementary school children and lasts from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, according to event information. Participation is free of charge. Parents and accompanying persons should wear weather-appropriate, comfortable clothing, as the design involves working with materials. Information regarding registration, supervision, changing facilities, and special accessibility offers is not available for this event.

Conclusion: Hüttenspiel offers families in Gelsenkirchen shared time filled with children's laughter, curiosity, and learning fun. Children not only create a hut, but they also learn how imagination, collaboration, and courage lead to their own place. Those who want to experience art hands-on should discover this free family experience live.