Let`s Dream and Sail away together with Äerdschëff (1)

Reopening of the construction site

After a prolonged winter, the Äerdschëff is uncovered and is ready to sail again. The compass? Set on finishing the construction (ASAP) and we can surely use your help! From the 8th of June we are officially reopening the construction site and welcoming volunteers. We will start with our local experts for the drystone wall and the root cellar throughout the months of June and July. In general we will be on site from Monday to Thursday from 9am till 4pm although slight changes may occur, so it’s better to get in touch with us.

Do you want to join?

If you are interested to join but still have some more questions, you are welcome to join our Inner circle meeting on the 9th of June from 18:00 till 21:00. We are happy to announce to all of you that this is the first time we will have the meeting on the construction site since a loooong time. With the setting sun in the back and of course, some snacks and beverages.

The address of the meeting is 1, Rue de Lycée, Atert-Lycee in Redange (school) and the construction site can be accessed through the entrance opposing the Cactus supermarket. please let us know beforehand if you are interested to join the volunteering (June-July) or the meeting on site (9th of June) : volunteer@cell.lu

Insights and personal experience

The Äerdschëff means for everybody something different. Below follows some personal experiences of our team members who have spent countless hours and days on the Äerdschëff and evolved together with it. “I feel like I could write a book about my experience with the Project Äerdschëff already and I find it quite challenging to describe this multifarious project in only a few lines. By joining the Ä-team in April 2018, I didn’t exactly know what to expect, neither had I specific expectations on this project, maybe only, obviously it to be different compared to more conventional construction sites. As an urban designer and trained architect I was very drawn to the ambition to plan and build a self-sustaining house. Noticing and acknowledging the changes manifesting in our environment, I understood this project as an opportunity to make a difference in terms of how to use resources and rethink ecological housing. But essentially I see it as a beautiful idea, of building this house together with the public, with volunteers. I saw its potential in being a – field of experimentation -.” “We build a house, which is something static, but the process of coordinating it, getting the approval and the actual building of it is quite the opposite. It has been a project of highs and lows. Many compromises had to be found.” “One of the most impacting experiences for me was during our first workshop. It is simply indescribable how enriching and energizing it was to be part of such a group of people who were able to create such a deep and strong connection so quickly. You no longer have to imagine what else could be possible. Deep inside yourself you feel that everything can be achieved, no matter how big the challenges in front of you might appear.“ “Äerdschëff is more than only a construction site, more than learning how to build a house in an ecological way. It is about meeting people, building relationships and making friends. It is about trying to make a difference, not about accomplishing sth specific. According to Confucius “The journey is the reward.” It is about giving opportunities, as we, the Ä-team got the opportunity to approach this endeavour in the first place.”

Written by Saul Lans, an Aerdscheff volunteer since August, 2019