Open Houses is a non-profit network dedicated to the preservation and reactivation of historic buildings and sites as shared cultural spaces. Rather than treating heritage as static or purely commemorative, Open Houses understands historic places as environments shaped through continued use, dialogue, and collective responsibility. The organisation initiates and supports projects that combine hands-on conservation with cultural, educational, and community-oriented activities, enabling sites to remain physically accessible and socially meaningful. The main objective of Open Houses is to reactivate historic sites as living parts of their communities, supported by international volunteers who contribute to their conservation and rehabilitation through practical engagement.
The origins of the organisation date to the mid-1980s, when volunteer groups in East Germany began restoring endangered village churches. These efforts quickly evolved beyond repair work into the reanimation of the buildings as lived spaces for exhibitions, music, discussion, and communal engagement. This approach (linking practical preservation with active participation) remains central to Open Houses today.

The Technical Leader Support position at Lohra Castle focuses on the practical coordination of conservation works within the historic castle ensemble. This role is designed for individuals with prior hands-on experience in construction, carpentry, masonry, or related fields who wish to deepen their technical and organisational skills in a heritage context.
The Technical Leader works together with the Open Houses staff, and assists in planning and structuring daily work tasks, preparing materials, managing tools, and supervising small working groups. The position requires practical competence, reliability, and the ability to communicate technical instructions clearly within an international volunteer team. Responsibilities may include coordinating work sequences, ensuring safe and correct handling of materials, maintaining equipment, and supporting specialised conservation tasks according to individual skills. The role offers direct insight into the practical organisation of building conservation projects and the management of collaborative work processes on site.
Students of architecture, civil engineering, heritage conservation, or related disciplines may have this experience recognised as an internship, and Open Houses can provide the necessary documentation. Technical Leaders receive an allowance of €200 per two-week workcamp, as well as accommodation and meals on site.

Accommodation:
Participants will be accommodated in a historic building within the Castle complex. Shared rooms and essential facilities, including sanitary amenities and kitchen access, will be provided to ensure a functional and comfortable stay within the heritage setting.
Food:
The meals will be prepared together as they are part of the community life, what means that every participant will be responsible for the meal at least once during its stay. So, it would be very nice if the participants could bring typical recipes from home in order to introduce each other to the preparation of food from all over the world.
Insurance:
In cases of accident and liability all participants from foreign countries are insured by Open Houses. Nevertheless, individual travel insurance is recommended. Participants from outside European Union are insured in cases of illness, too. Participants from the European Union should bring their European Health Insurance Card.
Finances
All costs linked to the project are covered, including food, accommodation, insurance and transportation during the stay at the project. Travel costs to and from the camp place are not covered. Participants should organise their journey to and from the project place by themselves and on their own expenses. Furthermore, participants should bring their own pocket money.
An Allowance of 200 euro will be paid per workcamp worked as a camp leader / technical leader.

Lohra Castle, with its centuries-old architecture and vast natural surroundings, is not only a site of historical significance but also a living, functioning place that requires continuous care and attention. This workcamp offers volunteers the opportunity to actively contribute to the sustainable management of the castle, ensuring that its grounds remain accessible, welcoming, and well preserved. The workcamp plays an essential role in the long-term care of the site, allowing future visitors and guests to experience and appreciate Lohra Castle as a harmoniously maintained historic and natural space.
The volunteers will engage in seasonal maintenance tasks, including mowing and collecting overgrown grass, clearing organic material from public areas, and ensuring that the castle’s open spaces remain well-kept. These tasks are crucial for the aesthetic and functional upkeep of the historic ensemble, preserving the visual integrity of the castle and its surroundings. The work also extends to the general maintenance of communal spaces and halls, contributing to the overall experience of visitors who use the castle for cultural events, educational programmes, and retreats. The income generated from these activities is directly reinvested into the castle’s conservation and educational projects, meaning that the work of volunteers directly supports heritage preservation efforts, even if not through conservation itself. Beyond the practical tasks, the workcamp offers a unique and immersive experience. When the castle closes its doors to the public in the evenings, it becomes the volunteers' home, a place where they can experience the privilege of inhabiting a medieval site. In this way, they take on the role of stewards, caring for the space as if it were their own. The experience encourages a sense of responsibility, ownership, and connection to heritage, reinforcing the idea that heritage sites thrive not only through large-scale restoration projects but also through the daily care and attention given to them by those who value their existence.
The projects of Open Houses are based on sustainable principles, ensuring that Lohra Castle is maintained not just as a historical monument but as a living environment where culture and nature coexist. The castle is surrounded by a vast natural protected area, making its preservation an effort that combines aspects of cultural and natural heritage conservation. Through their contributions, volunteers help safeguard the balance between history and nature, keeping Lohra Castle a welcoming place for future generations of visitors, researchers, and heritage enthusiasts.

Special requirements are sending a CV and motivation letter. Experience with manual work is preferred but not mandatory; however, the candidate should be eager to learn to use basic tools for gardening work. A driver’s license is preferred but not mandatory.

will be provided in infosheet.