How Makerspaces and Fablabs are transforming Brighton

Brighton has always been a city of dreamers and big thinkers.

 

It may be small in stature but it’s always been able to compete with the goliaths when it comes to breeding creativity and new ideas.

 

Makerspaces and Fablabs are the embodiment of that pioneering spirit, and the brilliant thing is, they’re springing up all over the city!

 

If you are unfamiliar with these terms, a ‘Makerspace’ or ‘Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab)’, are basically, communal workshop spaces.

 

They contain tools, workbenches and high-tech manufacturing machines, like laser cutters and 3D printers.

 

Imagine them like a larger, more organised version of the classic British inventors shed at the bottom of the garden, but for the whole community!

 

They are places for play, innovation, creativity, education and socialising, and have been proven to boost local economies and encourage entrepreneurship.

 

In short, they are amazing.

 

Makerspaces act like accelerators for the imagination, blossoming new opportunities through a shared loved of building cool stuff with cool people.

 

At last count, there were 97 in the UK (Nesta), situated in Universities, converted lockups, abandoned buildings and even former banks!

 

So far we have 3 spaces in Brighton, but it’s growing and with it, the chance to build a better city…

 

In a scheme that feels like a natural progression from the Digital Eagles and Code Playground campaigns, Barclays is slowly turning its recently shut branches, into fully fledged makerspaces, all over the UK.

 

And one of the first to open is in Brighton – lucky old us! Set up for young businesses as well as makers, anyone can pop in between 9am and 5pm to see it in action and get involved.  

The original Brighton space with over 100 designers, makers and tinkerers. Local residents from all kinds of backgrounds, share experience and work on all kinds of brilliant projects.

 

Awesome ones include, a motorised robotic elephant (seriously!) and ‘genetic standing lamps’ that can be programmed to use your DNA sample as a basis for their colour!  

 

Build Brighton has regular open days and anyone can become a member and start train on the equipment.  

This one isn’t open to the public quite yet, but situated on a former barracks site, it’s home to 13 young manufacturing startups that are testing it before a more permanent space in built in a couple of years time.

 

With electric motorbikes, 3D printed learning kits, edible insect chocolate bars and handmade wooden cameras!

 

It’s a crazy place to visit, where you can feel the ideas bubbling from every nook and cranny!   

Started as a 6-month pilot project in April – September 2015, we launched a makerspace just for young people that was a phenomenal success.   

 

We believe that these spaces should be accessible to all age groups, the ‘maker mentality’ is just as valid for young people and spaces like this represent the ultimate playground for an inquisitive child’s vast potential.

 

We’re working with Barclay’s EagleLab’s to run a new kind of weekly after school club for ages 10 to 16, to encourage the next generation of young inventors.

You can check out more about that here.

 

For a city in the middle of a digital transformation, maker spaces represent an opportunity to connect communities, explore ideas and develop new ways to harness the potential for cross-curricular innovation.

 

They are set to become a key part of the city’s infrastructure and another output for Brighton’s creative business culture