The Royal Institution of Great Britain Holiday workshops: Advanced STIXX Shelters

Build, test and collaborate in this hands-on engineering workshop focused on creating a giant 3D structure. Participants explore the principles behind strong, stable structures before putting that knowledge into practice by designing and constructing a full-scale shelter.

Working in teams, young people turn sheets of newspaper into durable STIXX rods using hand-operated machines. They then use these materials, alongside ideas inspired by civil engineering, to move through every stage of a project: planning, prototyping, construction, testing and dismantling.

The workshop also encourages creativity, with opportunities to add innovative design features to the finished structure. Along the way, participants develop confidence in collaboration, communication and problem-solving.

The session is designed to be engaging, practical and challenging, giving students a taste of real-world engineering while building transferable skills that support future study and careers.