Educational projects

In Summer 2017 Chekharda together with the kids’ club “Seekers” organised the first real construction site for kids and built a real 5 m high lighthouse on a riverside.
It was an old dream of Chekharda to start contracting with kids and thus give them a chance to play a real life - not an imaginary life as they use to on usual playgrounds. 100 year ago in this place famous Russian engineer Shukhov built a hyperboloid tower and it became an inspiration for the kids’ lighthouse.

Kids were not alone: architects, engineers, carpenters, creators of rope structures helped the kids with the building task. During two weeks construction time the kids learnt how to design hyperboloid structures, observed how the bearing system of a building rises up and filled up the tower with playful elements from ropes, wood and nets.

After two week the construction was competed and now the lighthouse operates as a local playground and became a real landmark and an observation point on the riverside. Young builders regular organise here their own events and workshops.
The construction playground gave a basis for a new type of “educational playground” in Russia where the kids can play and learn through the real work - and the kids seem to like it even more that typical playspaces!