About
The CoMakingSpace is an open workshop for Makers from all backgrounds. We aim to provide everyone with the tools, space and skills to make whatever they come up with.
This idea is not new: the so-called Maker Movement started years before we became active in Heidelberg and is a worldwide phenomenon driven by a vast community of Makers who want to regain control over the objects surrounding us in our everyday life. Besides being highly innovative, the principle of local or "desktop" design and fabrication has the potential to replace conventional industry in certain sectors as the importance of sustainability is increasingly acknowledged.
Who Are Makers?
Artisans, artists, chefs, craftspersons, hackers, hobbyists, inventors, mechanics, musicians, photographers, programmers, prototypers, scientists, tinkerers; children or grown-ups, students or teachers, workers or retirees - the short version is: anyone can be a Maker!
What connects us is the desire to create something with our own hands or minds, be it because it does not exist yet or we want to make it more personal or simply better than the available alternatives.
Aside from creating or improving, Makers also repair things that break instead of throwing them away. This involves learning and figuring out how things work.
Why Make Together?
Making things in a shared space as a community has a lot of benefits: there is a lot more space that can be used temporarily, as well as a lot of equipment that you might only need infrequently or can not even afford. Besides these aspects we are a friendly community that can provide inspiration or new insights. Finding collaborators for larger projects or just having a chat happens in the social area. If a project involves unknown techniques, usually there is someone with experience who can help or point in the right direction.
Our Concept
Wouldn't it be awesome if you could work on your projects any time, even after work hours? You just need a large workshop with proper tools close to your way home. The basement is too small or you would disturb the neighbors? Renting is too high? Let's share our workshop and split the rent! We set our co-making space up as a charitable company (gemeinnützige GmbH). This allows us to rent a suitable workshop, organize insurance, etc. and provides a solid foundation for a long-lasting community workshop. The charitability makes sure that nobody can pull profits out of the company, all profits will be used for our goals. At the same time this enables any sponsor to support us with tax-deducible donations. Membership is arranged into several affordable tiers, you can even get your own bench such that your partially finished project can stay until you have time to come back.
