Makerspaces on the high street
Loughborough University Market Town 15 July 2015
Andrew Sleigh Twitter: @andrewsleigh Slides and links: http://is.gd/loughborough
What I’m going to talk about:
1. Where did makerspaces come from 2. What is a makerspace today 3. Some research we did for Nesta, and
what we learned 4. Some opportunities for
makerspaces on the high street
FACTS
WILD SPECULATION
Where did makerspaces come from?
Artists’ studios
PHOTO: LILLSTREET ART CENTER
Hack(er)spaces
PHOTO: MITCH ALTMAN
Fablabs
PHOTO: FAB LAB BARCELONA
What is a makerspace today?
PHOTO: MARTIN RAYNSFORD
Cambridge Makespace
London Hackspace
PHOTO: ANDREW SHADURA
Autodesk Pier 9
PHOTO: BLAKE MARVIN / METROPOLIS MAGAZINE
+ Web
Community Peer support Project sharing Instructions Crowdfunding Ordering materials Code/design sharing Remote fabrication Supply chain etc…
{
Nesta UK Makerspaces mapping research.
Some things we learned.
NESTA.ORG.UK/UK-‐MAKERSPACES
We found 97 makerspaces, all over the UK
2006 2015
13
21
16
12
7
43101
SO F
AR
…
NEW MAKERSPACES EACH YEAR
Makerspaces have seen rapid growth in the last 5 years
In makerspaces, people socialise, learn and make things
41%
35%33%
Mostly in ‘low road’ locations
PHOTO: ACCESS SPACE, SHEFFIELD
–Stewart Brand, How Buildings Learn“low-‐visibility, low-‐rent, no-‐style, high-‐turnover”
Some opportunities (Including some hype, and some cold water)
“10,000 Garages” Digital designs, fabricated locally?
Cloud DDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing)
Fashion
PHOTO: NEW VESTURES / BRIAN ACHILLE
Supply to retail
PHOTO: ASSEMBLE & JOIN
Entrepreneur support for new maker businesses
PHOTO: TECHSHOP
Civic engagement “Urban Prototyping”
PHOTO: BRIAN L. FRANK/WIRED
Thank you.
Twitter: @andrewsleigh Slides and links: is.gd/loughborough