Attention schools and community groups! Take part in creating a unique, life-sized cardboard building to be constructed in the city centre. Register now for The Groete Bouw.

Along with pupils, community groups and residents, a historic Maastricht building, the former Cité Ouvrière, popularly known as Groete Bouw, will be brought to life again temporarily. It will involve no machines or cranes; simply cardboard, tape and the power of collaboration. This art project is a collaboration between Bonnefanten and the French artist Olivier Grossetête. The end result will be constructed on Saturday 12 September on the Vrijthof Square, in Maastricht, as part of the Maastricht Year celebrations.

Social and historical context

The project is linked to the industrial past of Maastricht and forms part of a wider cultural programme for the Maastricht Year celebrations.The Cité Ouvrière building has been the subject of much discussion. It was a 19th-century tenement for workers at the Sphinx factory. The project is therefore not just about art, but also about heritage and storytelling.

Making art together

Participants work in workshops on separate cardboard components of the building, such as arches, windows and roofs. The work is low-threshold, so that everybody can take part. By participating, people become art makers themselves. They build, experience and take part in a large-scale public installation in the heart of the city.

How can you participate?
Workshops in the Bonnefanten

Monday 7 to Friday 11 September 2026

On location at the Bonnefanten, you will work on the monument for one or more 3.5 hour periods, under the guidance of an artistic team. The construction teams consist of 30 volunteers per period, who may be members of various associations, institutions and schools. This also allows you to get to know other Maastricht residents in a relaxed setting.

A connecting community project

The project will bring together schools, associations, cultural institutions and residents. The work in the workshop is low-threshold and accessible, so that everybody aged 15 and up can take part in the free workshops!

How can you participate?

We are looking for schools and associations who would like to spend one or more periods working on this unique project. Register before 15 June for one or more periods via the button below. *Groups can consist of a maximum of 30 people per period.

Want to take part as an individual? Yes, please! You can register from 15 June via this webpage.

The Groete Bouw Day - Saturday 12 september 2026

The monument will be constructed together on the Vrijthof Square. In an exciting experience, all the volunteers who have worked on the project throughout the week come together and assemble the separate components to form an impressive end result on location.

The City Parade - Sunday 13 September 2026

The building will play a key role in the historical parade for the Maastricht Year celebrations. During a theatrical scene, in collaboration with organisations like Toneelgroep Maastricht and Theater aan het Vrijthof, the structure will form part of a narrative performance, which includes the eventual demolition of the building by the audience.

Questions or information about The Groete Bouw? Send an e-mail to: contextprogramma@bonnefanten.nl

Header: Olivier Grossetête, project International Figure Theatrefestival, 2023, Germany