Radiona.org / Zagreb Makerspace
About this good practice
Problems encountered were lack of: shared spaces and communities for lifelong learning, research and development; access to tools and communities willing to share knowledge; synergies between different professions; social inclusion in practice in the area of education and technology, new skills for digital market and better employability; mainstreaming of maker culture and innovative practices.
We give a chance to each individual to get an advice or help with their projects. Those who joined the makerspace have the opportunity to partake in the following sections: Microcontrollers and hands-on electronics, DIY Prosthetics, Robotics and hacking, BIOsection, Audio section, FPGA, 3D Print – CNC – 3D Scanning, Wearables and eTextiles, Programming, Flying Objects, e-Publishing, SmartZG – smart city.
The lab is offering also international and domestic residence programmes, from several months to few days. Categories: artist / engineer / maker / hacker / scientist / writer / biohacker-in-residence.
We also organize, curate and produce international exhibitions in renowned galleries, museums, cultural centers or as a part of tech fairs. Currently, we are developing our own mini museum for promoting the production of the lab, that will be open in early 2019.
The main stakeholders are international and domestic NGOs, private companies, public institutions, universities, schools, micro-communities, research centres, local community, students, pupils, participants of the programmes.
Expert opinion
Radiona.org/Zagreb Makerspace is an initiative to promote the maker’s culture and science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) in Zagreb, Croatia. In addition to access of specific technologies and digital equipment, the makerspace also promotes a sense of community, diversity, and provides mentorship and networking opportunities. The makerspace also offers international and domestic residence programmes that favours the exchange of knowledge and diverse interactions. The space raises awareness on the maker’s culture and STEAM through dedicated events and workshops. The good practice illustrates the importance to merge ‘hard skills’ such as developing and using new technological and digital equipment with ‘soft skills’ such as creativity, diversity, and art. Moreover, it is important for such spaces to ensure financial sustainability as they can be affected by political changes.
Resources needed
Costs per year:
Workshops, exhibitions, research: 18.000,00 €
Space renting, facilities: 6.5000,00 €
Investment into products: cca 3.000,00 €
Human resources: program coordinator, administrator and PR, technician – 54.000,00 €
Equipment, tools, material: 20.000,00 €
Evidence of success
150 international and domestic workshops; 27 produced and curated international exhibitions; 6 international hackathons.
Products: FPGA board, DIY VR glasses and Synthomir syntesizer kit.
Research projects: FPGA board, SmartZG – smart city network technology, BIOoptic synthesizers and sound boxes, FPGA – collaboration with Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Modular Video Synthesizers, Amplitude of Image and Sound.
Organisatin of international Creative Museum conference in 2017
Potential for learning or transfer
Radiona.org/Zagreb Makerspace is a hybrid lab merging innovation, creativity, technology, art, science, entrepreneurship and education. The lab has diverse sections, combining different professions to extend better access to education, soft skills and hands-on skills for better creative expression (design thinking) and employability potential at the ICT market.
By combining interdisciplinary approaches the lab is merging creative industries with ICT sector through the maker culture and entrepreneurship. The lab has know-how skills to transfer the knowledge on how to create maker communities from the scratch through bottom-up approaches (e.g. project Digital Lighthouses in Osijek and Rijeka, hackathon Subtle technologies in four places). In 2018 Radiona has organized exhibitions Electro/Biohack Friendly, Arcades of Electrinicy and Hybrid Lab of Curiocities in three other towns.
The lab will organize international maker camp Electric Wonderland in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Association for Development of ‘do-it-yourself’ Culture – Radiona / Zagreb Makerspace