How to Makerspace
Every makerspace requires three things to be successful:
Our presentation will try to briefly outline each area. The first and third items will be covered on this page, with the tools and materials given a separate page. A final page will be provided for some of the apps that are used in the maker community. General Considerations
Every makerspace is different, and reflects the needs and available resources of the makers who use it. The physical space could be anything from a corner of the elementary school library to a shed, classroom, converted warehouse or purpose-built building. Equipment also matches the needs of the makers who use it. Anything from an electronics fabrication lab or metal shot to a Play-Dough and Lego play space could conceivably be part of a makerspace. Given the range of possibilities, it is impossible to provide a blueprint or template for developing a makerspace. This site will outline some of the basic choices available to the typical makerspace, but for a more complete guide, we refer you to the Makerspace Tools and Materials Guide. It is an amazing 34 page guide that can explain in greater detail what might be needed for tools and materials.
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Our Focus: Commercial Makerspaces
Until now, we have tried to give you an overview of the makerspace movement. We wanted to provide you with the broad view of makerspaces before we focused in on one segment of the market for makerspaces. We have chosen the commercial makerspace segment as our focus. As EVAs, we seek to find investment opportunities. As educators, we seek to better society. We believe that makerspaces provides an ideal opportunity to satisfy both goals, as these paradigm-changing learning spaces foster a community of creativity and self-directed learning while providing ample opportunity for profit. We will examine one type of commercial makerspace: the fab-lab or digital fabrication lab. As such, there will be only a limited explanation of some of the equipment, design and facilities required for many other kinds of makerspaces. For example, we will not address the issue of children and play spaces, nor will we consider food preparation, drama and stage craft, as well as some forms of artistic creation makerspaces. |
Planning and Choosing the Space
Choosing the space requires a detailed business plan. Rent for a large space can be one of the largest expenses that a commercial makerspace will need to consider. It might be necessary for the new business to move several times, as the business plan and market dictates. It might be wise to focus on smaller ventures that have higher appeal at first, and add new spaces and grow the business slowly. As each market and each business is different, we can only provide a rough guide for space requirements.
Commercial makerspaces often share many characteristics with makerspaces for institutes of higher education. They are often large, expensive operations that require more staffing and top down management than community makerspaces or kid-centered and play-focused makerspaces. We can apply some of the findings from recent research into makerspaces for higher education to our assessment for corporate makerspaces.
In a recent article, Ian Roy, head of the Brandeis MakerLab at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, states that makerspaces should try to be centrally located, in a site that is approachable and highly visible. This is referring to the placement of a makerspace on a campus, but it also applies to a corporate makerspace. Any makerspace that is tucked away in the corner of an industrial park might have lower rental costs, but it will also decrease the potential market, as most industrial parks are not convenient places for the average citizen to visit.
Roy suggests that “a glass box in the center of your campus where you can walk tours through is really ideal… You want this to be public facing. You almost want people to see the work and be drawn to it. You don’t want to hide it in a corner.” As commercial makerspaces serve the public interest as well as a profit motive, it is clear that a highly visible, centralized location will be critical to growing the movement and the business. Makerspaces require an audience, they only function when a community grows around them, and tucking them away in the corner of an industrial park might save costs on rent, but it does little to bring the maker movement to the community at large.
Artisan Asylum is a non-profit community fabrication center in Massachusetts that has an excellent guide for starting a makerspace, titled “So you want to make a makerspace?” They identify rent as the biggest expense following startup, and this needs to be carefully accommodated in the business plan. They warn, however, that choosing building location and the quality and condition of the building and facilities is very important, as “cheaping out” might cost more in the long run:
A word of caution, though – try not to skimp on your building choice in order to pay a lower rent. Fixing broken buildings costs much more, on average, than renting good ones. Redoing the roof of an industrial space can cost upwards of $5-10 per square foot, installing a sprinkler system because the fire marshal told you to costs $10-15 per square foot, and replacing a broken or ineffective hulk with a new industrialgrade air conditioner can easily run $5,000 to $15,000 – just to name a few common expenses.
Choosing the space requires a detailed business plan. Rent for a large space can be one of the largest expenses that a commercial makerspace will need to consider. It might be necessary for the new business to move several times, as the business plan and market dictates. It might be wise to focus on smaller ventures that have higher appeal at first, and add new spaces and grow the business slowly. As each market and each business is different, we can only provide a rough guide for space requirements.
Commercial makerspaces often share many characteristics with makerspaces for institutes of higher education. They are often large, expensive operations that require more staffing and top down management than community makerspaces or kid-centered and play-focused makerspaces. We can apply some of the findings from recent research into makerspaces for higher education to our assessment for corporate makerspaces.
In a recent article, Ian Roy, head of the Brandeis MakerLab at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, states that makerspaces should try to be centrally located, in a site that is approachable and highly visible. This is referring to the placement of a makerspace on a campus, but it also applies to a corporate makerspace. Any makerspace that is tucked away in the corner of an industrial park might have lower rental costs, but it will also decrease the potential market, as most industrial parks are not convenient places for the average citizen to visit.
Roy suggests that “a glass box in the center of your campus where you can walk tours through is really ideal… You want this to be public facing. You almost want people to see the work and be drawn to it. You don’t want to hide it in a corner.” As commercial makerspaces serve the public interest as well as a profit motive, it is clear that a highly visible, centralized location will be critical to growing the movement and the business. Makerspaces require an audience, they only function when a community grows around them, and tucking them away in the corner of an industrial park might save costs on rent, but it does little to bring the maker movement to the community at large.
Artisan Asylum is a non-profit community fabrication center in Massachusetts that has an excellent guide for starting a makerspace, titled “So you want to make a makerspace?” They identify rent as the biggest expense following startup, and this needs to be carefully accommodated in the business plan. They warn, however, that choosing building location and the quality and condition of the building and facilities is very important, as “cheaping out” might cost more in the long run:
A word of caution, though – try not to skimp on your building choice in order to pay a lower rent. Fixing broken buildings costs much more, on average, than renting good ones. Redoing the roof of an industrial space can cost upwards of $5-10 per square foot, installing a sprinkler system because the fire marshal told you to costs $10-15 per square foot, and replacing a broken or ineffective hulk with a new industrialgrade air conditioner can easily run $5,000 to $15,000 – just to name a few common expenses.
Size
In the Artisan Asylum guide linked above, they identify 6 of the most common makerspace styles, based on size:
From this list, we feel that commercial makerspaces can operate at all sizes, however, #3, the Shared Workspace, might prove difficult to justify sufficient membership fees necessary to generate a profit, when the equipment is not owned by the business venture.
Functional Spaces
Space Distribution
The Artisan Asylum guide linked above provides a clear example for some of the kinds of considerations needed to be addressed when planning the space. How space is divided is critical for the success of a makerSPACE. Here are their recommended space distributions, based on function:
Accessibility
Another consideration when selecting a space is accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Workstations can be designed with benches that can be raised and lowered for people in wheelchairs, and the layout of the makerspace can try to accommodate the visually impaired by providing clear pathways to major work spaces, free of clutter and obstacles.
The University of Washington again provides an excellent guideline of essential questions to ask:
Expenses
As mentioned earlier, rent is the single largest startup expense, and it must be considered carefully in the business plan. Other expenses that will need to be considered are:
The last item on the list may be the most difficult to secure for a new business venture. Makerspaces are filled with dangerous equipment, and the only way to guarantee a lower insurance cost is to make training mandatory for all members on each piece of equipment before they are allowed to use it.
Income
This will be considered in our final stage: the Opportunity Forecast.
In the Artisan Asylum guide linked above, they identify 6 of the most common makerspace styles, based on size:
- Small teaching-only space with a small number of instructors (1-10 people) that can be sustainable by requiring relatively little infrastructure or full time staff
- Small, volunteer-run community (10-80 people) that occasionally teach classes and pay rent on a 1,000 to 8,000 sqft space with relatively low (or sliding scale) membership fees. These types of spaces are the most common type of makerspaces/hackerspaces we’ve seen in the U.S.
- Shared workspace where everyone usually has their own tools (4,000 to 25,000+ sqft) where many individuals and small businesses band together to rent a larger warehouse space at low per-person costs, sometimes sharing equipment (but usually not), with a small group (1-3 people) nominally in charge
- Business incubators (8,000 to 25,000+ sqft) usually featuring funding from outside investors, a specific theme to the incubator, a large staff of support personnel, a large group of mentors supporting the incubated businesses, and a curated entrance process
- Large community workshop (8,000 to 40,000+ sqft) usually featuring at least educational programs and shared tools/workspace, a robust business plan, paid staff and sometimes featuring storage or studio rental space
- Very large business development facility intended to rent spaces to startup businesses (25,000 to 150,000+ sqft) that each need 250-1,000+ sqft, usually featuring a mentorship network and sometimes featuring shared tools/workspace
From this list, we feel that commercial makerspaces can operate at all sizes, however, #3, the Shared Workspace, might prove difficult to justify sufficient membership fees necessary to generate a profit, when the equipment is not owned by the business venture.
Functional Spaces
- The University of Washington has created a guideline of essential questions to ask before creating the space:
- Are parking areas, pathways, and entrances wheelchair-accessible and clearly marked?
- Are all levels of the space connected via an accessible route of travel?
- Are there high-contrast, large-print signs throughout the space, especially for safety information?
- Are aisles wide and clear of obstructions (e.g., wires) for people with mobility or visual impairments?
- Have safety procedures been considered for students with hearing, visual, or mobility impairments?
- Are power cords and work surfaces clearly marked and accessible for individuals with mobility or visual impairments?
Space Distribution
The Artisan Asylum guide linked above provides a clear example for some of the kinds of considerations needed to be addressed when planning the space. How space is divided is critical for the success of a makerSPACE. Here are their recommended space distributions, based on function:
- Fire Lanes: (Minimum 25-35% of your floor area!)
- Welcoming Area: (50-250+ sqft, if needed)
- Social/Food Area: (15-40 sqft/seated person required)
- Dedicated Classroom: (20-50 sqft/seated person required)
- Workshops: (Minimum 500 sqft; 75-150 sqft/person)
- Rental Studios: (50 sqft seems to be minimum sqft/person)
- Storage Space: (1 pallet = 13 sqft, 1 shelf set = 8-12 sqft)
- Gallery/Display Area: (Can be thin sections of wall)
Accessibility
Another consideration when selecting a space is accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Workstations can be designed with benches that can be raised and lowered for people in wheelchairs, and the layout of the makerspace can try to accommodate the visually impaired by providing clear pathways to major work spaces, free of clutter and obstacles.
The University of Washington again provides an excellent guideline of essential questions to ask:
- Can whiteboards and other tools be reached from a seated position?
- Are adjustable-height tables available?
- Do counters have space beneath for wheelchair users?
- Can the wheels on furniture be easily locked and unlocked?
- Are magnifying lenses and desk lamps available? These are useful for individuals with visual impairments, as well as for anyone working on small scale sewing, electronics, and other projects in the space.
- Is there easily accessible storage for projects and supplies?
Expenses
As mentioned earlier, rent is the single largest startup expense, and it must be considered carefully in the business plan. Other expenses that will need to be considered are:
- Building maintenance
- Property tax
- Utilities
- Salaries
- Tool maintenance and consumables
- Advertising/marketing
- Office expenses (phone bill, paper supply…)
- Insurance
The last item on the list may be the most difficult to secure for a new business venture. Makerspaces are filled with dangerous equipment, and the only way to guarantee a lower insurance cost is to make training mandatory for all members on each piece of equipment before they are allowed to use it.
Income
This will be considered in our final stage: the Opportunity Forecast.