Tutors: Flora Bühlmann and Katharina Riedl 

Through collective construction and discussion, this study course invites participants to engage in a critical examination of gender roles and power relations in architecture and design. A range of feminist tools will be introduced to address current challenges in these fields, drawing on both historical and personal perspectives and experiences. The course aims to foster a deeper understanding of craft – particularly woodworking – through a feminist and social lens. Discussions will be grounded in hands-on activities, including material harvesting and woodworking. Participants will be encouraged to interrogate established norms in design, crafts, and education, and to ‘untool’ joinery in a joyful and exploratory way. 

Timber from the Curonian Spit – central to the Neringa Forest Architecture project, initiated at Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts in 2020 – has been redirected from its original use in the biofuel and paper industries towards architectural, design, artistic, and research-based investigations. Within this framework, the course will engage with the unique landscape of the Curonian Spit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further materials will be sourced during field visits, including an excursion to a local disposal centre to explore reuse strategies.

Over four days, the programme includes technical introductions to woodworking and joinery. Participants will work with tools and machines, share meals, and take part in collective discussions and walks through the surrounding forests. The course promotes a critical and convivial approach, challenging conventional practices in design, crafts, and education, and rethinking joinery beyond normative frameworks. Participants will share and reflect on their experiences of working with local materials, following their narratives while learning how to build sustainably with found and regenerative resources.

The course is open to participants from all disciplines and is primarily intended for women and genderqueer individuals. No prior experience in crafts or woodworking is required, and all materials and equipment will be provided. Applications from individuals of all genders will be considered, particularly when accompanied by a clear motivation statement. The goal is to ensure a safer and more inclusive environment for all participants.

Tutors

Katharina Riedl is a trained architect and clay builder working in Switzerland and Austria. Her practice focuses on the reuse of building materials, regenerative resources, and self-determined design and construction processes for self-organised spaces, especially housing. Together with Flora Selma Bühlmann, she is part of Bau-Teilen, a Zurich-based company that critically challenges the construction industry in its practical applications. Reidl is also founding member of the feminist crafts collective gemeinsam bauen wir neu and has implemented several projects that centre the visibility of women and genderqueer people – with and without disabilities – in construction.

Maria Flora Selma Bühlmann is an architect and craftswoman based in Zurich. Her work explores reuse, self-construction, and participatory building processes. She has contributed to scenography, spatial transformations, and off-space interventions, often working with salvaged materials. Since 2022, she has been part of Bau-Teilen, a collective of architects and craft workers committed to sustainable construction. Alongside her practice, she teaches craft and building techniques in workshops and schools, encouraging hands-on engagement with materials and spatial awareness. She is also a founding member of the feminist crafts collective gemeinsam bauen wir neu.

https://gemeinsambauenwirneu.ch
https://bau-teilen.com
https://ighallenleben.hotglue.me

Additional information

The workshop takes place at Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts, E. A. Jonušo str. 3, Neringa LT-93127, Lithuania.

The teaching period begins on Monday morning, 26 May, and ends on Friday, 30 May. Participants are expected to arrive on Saturday, 25 May and depart on Saturday, 31 May. 

Costs

Travel, accommodation, and meals are to be covered by the participants.

  • Room with shared bathroom: €16 per person, per night. 
  • Room with private bathroom: €24 per person, per night.


Rooms are shared by three to four students. Group cooking (self-funded) will be planned for specific days as part of the study process.

Financial support available from KUNO

  • Travel support between countries: €330 (€660 to/from Iceland)
  • Subsistence allowance: €250 per week (5–7 days).


For further enquiries, please contact: egija.inzule@nidacolony.lt