Image: Grand Garage
When the Grand Garage in the Linzer Tabakfabrik “open house” loads, then you can experience what will be possible here after months of renovation work. One place, many possibilities is a slogan for the innovation and training workshop, in which almost 100 professional machines are available that can be used by tenants and on which young people in particular should and are allowed to experiment even more. What else the conversion means, the OÖ Nachrichten spoke to co-founder Werner Arrich and the head of the Grand Garage, Sam Zibuschka.
OÖN: The conversion has the greatest signal effect because it means that the place of knowledge and learning has been realized more spatially. What do you mean with that?
Werner Arrich: Anyone who enters the building from the end of the week will see that something is happening here in the field of knowledge transfer for young people.
Sam Zibuschka: It is one stage of a long journey. Here is a place that makes projects possible, through which people grow and learn. Being able to show how to use a lathe or a 3D printer brings a lot of self-awareness with it.
OÖN: What does the Grand Garage stand for?
Arrich: This is the place for young, technology-oriented people to develop.
zibushka: The Grand Garage stands for change like no other house. We have to be the change, and when there isn’t one, we have to call it in.
Arrich: If something is too stable, then we see that it becomes unstable again. It’s like a spinning top. He also needs speed to keep moving.
OÖN: Is the possible fear of change a hindrance?
Arrich: It is certainly also one of our tasks to help ensure that change is basically nothing to be afraid of. If change is seen positively – not naively, but genuinely – then we could be a role model so that the radicalization that we are currently witnessing does not occur. zibushka: I consider this to be one of the greatest social challenges we are currently facing. On the one hand you preach diversity, respect and equality and in reality trample on them. You have to break this schizophrenia. Arrich: As an older generation that has leverage and opportunities, we are challenged to help people not be afraid.
OÖN: Why is the Grand Garage the right place to convey change, education and knowledge?
zibushka: During one of the first tours, Werner told me that anything can happen here, but nothing has to happen. It’s a place where you can, but don’t have to. Nobody has to come in here, nobody has to operate a machine, nobody has to learn anything if they don’t want to. All you need is willingness.
Arrich: We’re not family, we’re a workplace, and we don’t need to be friends either.
OÖN: Who should benefit from the conversion?
zibushka: Our target group is from 6 to 14 years. Above all, we want to address the 10 to 14 year olds, because they are at an age when they are starting to think about where they want to go in life. Having a stage here where they can all sit together, where we learn with them and give them workbenches to try out and provide them with knowledge, that has never existed before.
Arrich: Even if our target group is up to 30 years, everything is now geared towards the children and young people who come in school groups. And it’s a great landing spot for our educational partners. Most importantly, after the renovation, the Grand Garage is open to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is also a challenge for us.
zibushka: This is not a place of consumption. You learn the experience that young people have here in real life and not in a lecture.
Information about the Open House: Come in, immerse yourself, be inspired by every room: That will be on May 12th at the “open house” in the Grand Garage on the Tabakfabrik site from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone who wants to find out more is welcome. More details: grandgarage.eu
Source: Nachrichten
