Shaping Minds Through Craft: The Manufacto Project
This academic year, the Manufacto Project, an inspiring initiative that celebrates craftsmanship, creativity, and hands-on learning, took place at JL Campus. Manufacto was first devised and put in place in 2016 by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès in partnership with the Paris school board, the Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France and the École Camondo (Paris).
This original programme is designed to introduce schoolchildren to craft know how. Over the course of the school year, students discover gestures, techniques and tools as they create a contemporary, everyday object, in an initiation to the world and the skills of craft as well as to the pleasures of making.
Rooted in the belief that education extends beyond textbooks, this immersive program provided our CM2 and Year 5 students with a unique opportunity to engage deeply with design and technology through meaningful, tactile experiences.
Over the course of 12 two-hour sessions, students worked diligently to create an original lamp from wood, guided by both imaginative thinking and practical skill-building. Each workshop emphasized not only individual artistry but also the importance of collaboration, as students learned to share ideas, solve problems together, and support one another through the creative process.
The project was led by Franck Vidal (The Craftman), a highly skilled local artisan from Lantau Island, whose passion for craftsmanship and deep connection to the materials brought real-world expertise into the classroom. By working closely with class teachers, the artisan ensured that each session was both educationally enriching and creatively stimulating, blending technical instruction with imaginative freedom.
