Building bridges by constructing a bridge at the Bunker de la Science

What a great idea the Science Bunker has with its team-building activity: the Bridge Challenge. It’s the ideal activity for bonding team members, understanding and/or realizing the dynamics of teamwork, and helping to establish group roles and responsibilities.

Lower stress levels

Before we get started and have to split into two teams for the teambuilding activity, what better way to get in the mood than to get together for a molecular cocktail?

David from Le Bunker takes us into a room specially set up for corporate events, and concocts spectacular, explosive cocktails for which he has the secret recipes!

We’re getting more and more relaxed and dangerously fit!

It's starting!

We return to the area dedicated to the bridge challenge and are given theatrical instructions by our host Damien, who will ensure that the activity runs smoothly.

Now that the teams have been formed, Damien immediately points out that only 10% of the teams who have attempted the bridge challenge have succeeded. No matter, we’re determined to succeed and win this team duel.

– So, tell us Damien, what does the bridge challenge involve?

– Okay then, you and your team are on the hunt for food. Miracle! Your scouts have spotted an old orchard. You’d like to get there, but the Chaudière River is in the way. You’ll have to build a bridge to get there!

– … and so, within 30 minutes, divided into 3 periods of 10 minutes, you’ll build a bridge. Using whatever means you can find, the aim is to build it strong enough to support the weight of a colleague who will cross it to confirm the success (or otherwise) of each team.

– … Ha! one last thing. Beware, there’s a traitor lurking in every team. He’ll be secretly working for the other team, sabotaging your bridge, or giving you the wrong ideas. Finally, surprise riddles will spice up the activity.

– Are you ready? Time’s up!

The moment of truth

Time’s up! No more touching. Now, come on! All that’s left is to test your engineering masterpieces.

Damien is already announcing the end of the 30 minutes.

Yikes, yikes, yikes. Nice effort by both teams, but we won’t be among the 10% of “engineers” who succeeded in the bridge challenge!

Neither team was able to reach the apple crop on the other side of the river. And, even if we had, would the bridges really have held with the extra weight of the apples on the way back? We’re not sure!

Turning white wine ... into sparkling wine! Oh yes!

What’s the best way to recover from such a performance, do you think?

With a great reward! And David has thought of everything, offering us other gourmet cocktails and aperitifs that are truly out of the ordinary!

On the menu: white wine transformed into sparkling wine, iced vodka on cucumbers and maple taffy on dry ice. Quite an experience!

In conclusion

Seriously? What a great activity!

I don’t know if we came back smarter (a little bit), but as a team, we came back even more united and ready to take on other professional challenges together!

Photos : Stéphanie Allard

Le Bunker de la Science

5935 Saint-Laurent Street, Lévis

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