A "makerspace" can be more than just crafting. London's Bloqs shows how it can boost local economy (and autonomy)

We have always been really interested in makerspaces at A/UK.

One of our signature concepts - that communities should aspire to cosmolocalism - comes from the peer-to-peer movements idea of “Design Global, Make Local”. This means localities drawing down designs from a planetary digital commons, and making them where they are, using advanced manufacturing systems. Our co-initator Pat Kane proposed here a few years ago the idea of a “Makar House” (makar is actually Scots for “poet” or “creator”), which would be a multi-functional production space for communities wanting to build their resilience against climate crisis.

Makerspaces wax and wane (here’s an overview from the WEF), so it’s great to report on one that’s really waxing, from this Guardian report.

It’s called Bloqs - and as the Guardian article says, it’s a properly equipped manufacturing space in an area (North-East London’s Lea Valley) which has a history of industrial invention - rifles, radios, motorbikes, dishwashers all made there, with a golden ATM on the high street to celebrate the fact that the area sported the world’s first ATM.

What’s interesting is that it has real economic ambition, rather than being a somewhat elaborate crafting exercise (“we don’t whittle spoons”, says its founder). It’s “the UK’s first ‘open-access factory’, complete with £1.3m worth of equipment – a smorgasbord of saws, lathes, sanders and sewing machines – along with laser cutters, 3D-printers and a massive five-axis milling machine.”

From the Guardian

The enterprises already filling up the space are described here:

On a Tuesday morning in February, the place is humming with people making kitchen cabinets, staircase treads, public benches, playground equipment, industrial kitchens and upcycled fashion accessories. Walter and Rob of design startup Make Workspace are putting the finishing touches to their prototype work pod in one bay, while Lizzie, Marilo and Llew of social enterprise Made from Scratch wrestle with their latest treehouse design in another.

“To be honest,” says Lizzie, breaking off from sanding a wooden parakeet for their new adventure playground, “I thought it might have that intimidating vibe of going into a record shop, where everyone is a bit snooty. But it’s not like that. The best thing about being based here is the people – everyone is willing to share expertise and advice, and you can always borrow each other’s tools.” A small workspace begins at £36 a day, use of most machines included, with larger and longer-term lets available and no membership fee to join.

Sense of adventure …one of the finished playground designs and builds that Made from Scratch constructed at Bloqs. Photograph: Made from Scratch

Michel, who runs a bespoke joinery business employing seven people, says he can take on much bigger projects since moving to Bloqs. “There are people with skills in metalwork, milling and a professional spray booth,” he says, “so it’s expanded what I can do in one place.” The social enterprise also has its own fabrication arm, Made at Bloqs, so it can take on jobs from local authorities and developers and subcontract work out to its members. “The opportunities here are amazing,” he adds, “and my head is clearer working in this big, light space.”

More, about the funding for it and further ambitions, here. And here’s a report from 2016 on its founding moment.