What is a city without makers? To keep a city fun, in good shape and liveable, but also to tackle big issues like the energy transition, makers are crucial. From bicycle repairers and woodworkers to tailors and welders: without makers, you get practically nothing done.
Today, the Hout- en Meubileringscollege (HMC) opens its new satellite location at the NDSM-werf in Amsterdam. That this special place is here now is good news in more ways than one.
A makerspace by makers for makers
Besides a learning environment, the satellite location will also be a base of operations for Maakschap Amsterdam, a makers' alliance to promote active policies for workshops. Maakschap Amsterdam, an initiative resulting from the European project Centrinno, was set up by Waag Futurelab, HMC and Pakhuis de Zwijger.
The satellite location of the HMC is where Maakschap Amsterdam will gather to connect makers, share knowledge, create learning experiences around circular working and team up for better maker policies. In January and February 2024, Waag will organise workshops there for the general public, to which anyone with an interest in making is welcome.
Learning ecosystem for makers
The new location of the HMC will be situated above the Graphic Workshop in the Scheepsbouwloods, a monumental shipbuilding shed. "It will be a learning ecosystem," says Jacomijn de Vries, Project Leader Centrinno for the HMC. "With this location, we hope to interest young people to become makers later, we want to increase the visibility of maker education and connect with alumni, makers, companies and other institutions. There are lots of opportunities here in which students can work with local entrepreneurs in educational projects."
In year three or four, HMC students take Entrepreneurship as subject at the satellite location. Marlon Groenhart, is a project manager and Entrepreneurship teacher at HMC and is looking forward to start working with the students at the new location.
"Developing our students' entrepreneurship at the NDSM wharf is obvious. There, the students are in a real maker environment and can see what is involved in setting up and running a business. Their professional role models, potential clients and employers are all around the corner."
Working with makers towards a fully circular metropolis
Amsterdam aims to halve the use of new raw materials by 2030, and to be a fully circular metropolis by 2050. This means that we will then produce, repair and reprocess our own materials into new materials and products. Local makers in particular can do this like no other.
The satellite location of the HMC will be a place where makers of the future can develop, and where existing makers can share and strengthen their skills and making mentality.
