Visitors in the past few weeks have noticed the huge construction going on at Nepal Communitere. A major redesign of our space is well underway in hopes of opening up our doors to even more local entrepreneurs, makers, innovators, educators and many more!
There’s been lots of curiosity and excitement as Nepal Communitere closed off it’s driveway and parking space till the end of December for renovation works. Our site managers Dilip K.C. and Ganesh dai have been busy working closely with the contractors on our containers and drainage system in preparation of the first ever digital manufacturing lab (FABLAB) being set up at Nepal Communitere. We will officially launch Nepal’s first ever FABLAB in March 2020!
By the time the renovation is complete there will be appropriate drainage, ventilation and insulation systems in place to house a fully furnished FABLAB, open to the community. It will be a dynamic community-based Makerspace that houses a wide range of digital fabrication equipment and other tools, and serve as collaborative, community-oriented venues for design, prototyping, product development and invention. As a platform for learning and innovation, the NC FABLAB will share common tools and processes as well as a global network of learners, educators, technologists, researchers, makers and innovators. Among the very first programs that will run in the FABLAB is the American Arts Incubator program led by American Artist Jennifer Berry and Tiare Ribeaux in April 2020.
Users can look forward to training facilities, 3D printers, a laser cutter, a CNC milling machine, an electronics studio, and a general purpose shop equipped with hand and power tools for work with wood, metals, plastics, and other materials. The FABLAB facilities will also be differently-abled people friendly to make the space as inclusive as possible.
Additionally, the Nepal Communitere FABLAB team has been travelling throughout Chitwan, Dharan, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj during the month of November to design a series of Humanitarian Design Challenges (HDC) to be held in different provinces throughout Nepal. The team is currently immersed in the human-centered design process to understand the skills, knowledge and interest of potential users. The HDC workshops will engage communities in problem solving for real-world technological solutions by disseminating practical knowledge of digital manufacturing, rapid prototyping and 3D design to over 450 Nepali students, engineers, makers, professors, and private sector representatives. The team’s implementation-based learning approach emphasizes that FABLAB users gain hands-on skills and knowledge about the machines and tools. The team will also be travelling to Butwal, Dhangadi, Pokhara in the months leading up to the launch in March 2020.
Interested in using digital fabrication for product development? Designing solutions to community-based problems in agriculture, health or manufacturing? Or simply interested in doing iterative design and prototyping of Nepal made products? Reach out to the Nepal Communitere FABLAB team to get started in turning your brilliant idea into reality!
