Local Makerspace Opens Doors To City Folk

Local Makerspace Opens Doors To City Folk Needing Space To Make

The Wellington MakerSpace (TWMS) opens it’s new “MemberSpace” this month to anyone who need to scratch their ‘Making’ itch and have no access to tools, space – or know-how.

TWMS has been operating for some months in it’s custom designed premises at 6 Vivian Street, leveraging the skills of ex-Weta Workshop Lee Bennett, recent UK import industrial designer Steven Almond, an extended team of enthusiastic and very talented collaborators and the smallscale manufacturing advantages of laser cutters, 3d printer technology and CNC routers amongst other very useful and well known tools.

It’s all part of the new wave of the worldwide maker ‘movement’ that encourages people to think, design and make, basically anything from bird-boxes, clever electronic gadgetry to full saleable products, although “We especially love to ignite that special spark in kids – help them to challenge the status quo, as they're the one's who will make the World better place and see things with fresh eyes ...” Steve adds.

Since March last year, TWMS has primarily focussed on creating a classic design studio, which provides traditional B2B and B2C 'design & make' projects, such as CAD designed and CNC machined Restaurant Art/Chattels for the newly opened Pan de Muerto, restaurant on Tory St. to an architectural model made for the No-Flyover Wellington protest group -partly to establish their place in the Market, but mainly to pay the rent and buy more gear!

“Throughout this time though, we’ve been listening to what people want from a space – and have now reinvested everything into the newly formed top-floor MemberSpace -or 'Part B', which is an entirely not-for-profit, community-centric learning and doing space”, explains Lee.

The space, which has its official Open Day on Monday, Feb 4th operates on membership and pay-as-you-go basis – Makers pay a monthly fee for access to the tools, space and smarts the community can offer and only pay for materials, consumables and CNC time they use. It’s a cross between a workshop, a lab and a lounge and, well, err a mountain or underwater secret cave installation…???

‘We wanted the effect to be inspiring’, Steve says of the rock wall entranceway, complete with steel riveted door, fingerprint access scanner and underwater steampunk-esq porthole… ‘and frankly we love to play with stuff as much as our members do; we couldn’t really help ourselves!’ Once through the secure portal, Makers can chill on the old-school couches, watch TV, make some lunch -or they could even grab some tools and make!

As well as members and their personal projects, local education outfit Chalkle use the space for lessons that need something you don’t often find in the heart of a city – a magical, mad, making space.

Visit www.wellingtonmakerspace.com or www.facebook.com/Thewellingtonmakerspace to find out more, or come to the Open Day on the 4th Feb to meet the team and grab your place in NZ Making history!

For more info: www.wellingtonmakerspace.com

ENDS

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