Wednesday 30 — Thursday 31 March

Get hands-on to find out why and how birds build nests. Explore the pieces of art and architecture that are influenced by bird nests. Examine nests from local and exotic birds, match the bird to the nest that it built and build a nest of your own to take home or leave in our special museum trees.

Presented by University of St Andrews

Age: All Ages

Time: 10:00 – 17:00 (drop-in)

Venue: Hawthornden Court, National Museum of Scotland

Tickets: Free (drop-in)

http://sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/pop-up-science-nest-building

Saturday 26 — Wednesday 30 March

Can you build a bridge without nails or glue? Can you make a curved tower out of straight sticks? Can you design a building that would melt a car? Find out how maths is the key to all these questions and how it influences architecture in the world around us.

Presented by The University of Edinburgh

Age: All Ages

Time: 10:00 –16:30 (drop-in)

Venue: Learning Centre Level 2, National Museum of Scotland

Tickets: Free (drop-in)

http://sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/finding-the-arc-in-architecture

Saturday 26 March to Sunday 10 April

Humanity’s first Mars Colony needs your help! Come and build pods, buildings, labs, habitats, and anything else you think that humans need to live on another planet. Our first building has been designed and crafted by renowned artist in LEGO® bricks, Warren Elsmore. Now it is up to you to add to the Mars landscape and help contruct the first colony.

Age: All Ages

Time: 10:00 – 17:00 (drop-in)

Venue: Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland

Tickets: Free (drop-in)

http://sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/mars-master-constructors

Monday 28 March

Help build a house in an afternoon, with no power tools! Join volunteers from Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative, who built the UK’s first community WikiHouse, to put together the pieces. WikiHouse is an open source building system with many designers collaborating to make it simple for everyone to design, print and assemble beautiful, low-energy homes. Come along and see just how easy it is by taking part in our build.

Presented by the Fountainbridge Canalside Initiative

Age: All Ages

Time: 13:00 and 15:00

Venue: Courtyard, Summerhall

Tickets: Free (ticket required)

http://sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/wikihouse-demonstration-build

From the first forest shelters to the Sagrada Familia, humanity has shaped its own environment to an extraordinary degree. The spaces we inhabit have a direct impact on how we feel, think, and behave and, as part of Science Festival 2016, we’ll be asking how science, technology, architecture and design can impact on our homes and cities to help us to live well through a special series of events focusing on Our Built Environment.

In Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, we’re looking at eco-friendly portable living spaces in our Tiny Homes Village. Explore the exhibition on The Mound Precinct or join in the debate at Tiny Home Sweet Home.