The value of a makerspace: cultural (re-)production and the making of a city

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of the four typologies and their characteristics.

	Production Districts (n = 9)	Enclaved Industrial Facilities (n = 11)	Embedded Facilities (n = 19)	Publicly Administered Facilities (n = 3)
Composition	Makerspaces: 9	Hackerspaces: 2 Makerspaces: 9	FabLabs: 5 Hackerspaces: 2 Makerspaces: 12	Makerspaces: 3
Building Types	Commercial buildings, industrial facilities and warehouses	Historic mills, factories and more recently constructed business parks.	Pre and post-war low rise office or commercial buildings	Public cultural facilities including libraries and museums
Typical Features	High ceilings, open floor plans, loading docks, sufficient ventilation	High ceilings, open floor plans, loading docks, sufficient ventilation	Fixed floor plan, street frontage and limited footprint.	Makerspaces embedded within existing public and cultural facilities
Industrial Heritage	Significant industrial heritage: 2 Evident prior industrial use: 2	Significant industrial heritage: 7 Evident prior industrial use: 4	Significant industrial heritage: 4	–
Proximal features	Freeways and arterial roads. Industrial rail Parks and green space Rivers and waterways	Arterial roads Commuter rail and bus Rivers and waterways	Commuter rail and bus Mid-rise commercial and retail surrounds	Commuter rail and bus Parks, green space and playgrounds Schools
Proximal facilities	Low density, industrial and commercial facilities	Medium to high density residential and retail buildings	Office and commercial buildings, cultural spaces and public facilities	Cultural centers and Schools. Facilities are shared with and hosted by existing tenants
Appropriate Production Foci	Supports moderate to high nuisance and space requirements e.g. auto-work and metal fabrication	Low to moderate space and nuisance e.g. woodwork, welding, ceramics	Low space and nuisance e.g. craft activities, ceramics, digital production	Low nuisance: craft and digital production
Key Benefits	Floor-plan adaptable to user needs. Availability of useable floor-space. Industrial building features assist makers Highly nuisance tolerant Good parking access. Established connection to production activity and history	Floor-plan adaptable to user needs. Availability of usable floor-space. Industrial building features assist makers Moderate foot-traffic Accessible for non-car commuters Industrial aesthetic of value to makers Proximity to neighboring community and businesses Established connection to production activity and history	High foot-traffic Highly accessible for non-car commuters Proximity to neighboring community and businesses	Floor-plan adaptable to user needs. Availability of usable floor-space. Moderate foot-traffic Accessible for non-car commuters Accessible parking Proximity to neighboring community and businesses
Key Constraints	Difficulties with heating facilities during winter. Limited foot traffic Difficult to access for non-car commuters. Facilities may require extensive upkeep and renovations to ensure usability.	Proximal residents limit nuisance tolerance. Makerspaces need to compete against other industries for these facilities Limited parking options.	Limited usable floor space Inflexible floor-plans High surrounding density limits production foci Need for additional ventilation Limited parking options	Proximity to other tenants limits nuisance tolerance