Stone carving
with Jacques Bruderer
5-day workshop · Westhoffen, Alsace
Application deadline: 1 March 2027.
5–9 April 2027
Master stonemason Jacques Bruderer introduces you to stone carving, from quarry to building, on the site of a former farmhouse that will become the Westhoffen School of Architecture and Crafts.
Course content
• Pink sandstone: geology, choosing and sourcing stone, identifying the natural bed
• Tools: hand tools, their use, maintenance and sharpening
• The project: defined during the workshop depending on the progress of the site, for example steps, door or window surrounds, or moulded elements; each participant works on their own stone, using hand tools only
• Setting out: reading drawings, full-size setting out and marking out templates on the block
• Working the stone: dressing beds and faces, banker work and surface finishes (drafted margins, claw-tooled finish, bush-hammering)
• Conservation: diagnosing stone decay
• Fixing: setting stone in lime mortar and site safety
Practical information
• Dates: Monday 5 to Friday 9 April 2027
• Hours: 9 am – 5 pm, lunch break 12 – 1 pm
• Location: 1 rue Westerend, 67310 Westhoffen, France
• Languages: English and French
• Minimum age: 16 (applicants under 18 need a letter of consent from a legal guardian)
• Maximum 10 participants per session, so places are limited
• Fee: €1,075 per week
Included: 5 days of training, 5 nights in a gîte (including the night before), stone and tools, lunches (sandwich and salad, vegetarian option available), drinks, fruit and biscuits throughout the day.
Not included but mandatory: accident insurance covering the workshop, safety shoes, protective gloves, safety glasses and suitable work clothing. Without this equipment, you will not be able to take part in the workshop.
Scholarships: Partial scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the TRA’s Education Committee, based on applicants’ motivation letters and supporting documents (e.g. proof of a university scholarship, proof of income, proof of enrolment at a school or a short letter explaining your financial situation). We also encourage applicants to seek funding in their own country, through an unsolicited application to their university, a government body, a regional authority or a foundation.
University credits: Students may contact their university directly to have this course recognised for academic credit. Once the process is under way, our team will be happy to help with the documents required (programme, hours, certificate of attendance).
How to apply
Send your application to contact@latablerondearchitecture.com with the subject line "Application stone carving 2027 – First name Last name", including:
1. your full name, postal address, phone number and date of birth;
2. your status or profession (architecture student, architect, stonemason, teacher…) and your school or company;
3. a motivation letter in English or French (1 page maximum, as a PDF); you may also attach drawings or photographs of your projects.
Application deadline: 1 March 2027. Only complete applications will be considered.