In Australia, a country known for being relatively isolated, makerspaces fostering connectedness and the sharing of resources and knowledge are on the rise. Collegial and collaborative, they celebrate the culture of creating. But aside from their cooperative spirit, they’re a critical springboard for emerging and independent designers, supporting top talent so that it remains in the country.
A number of pioneering spaces have paved the way for the broader makerspace movement. Designed Objects Tasmania (dot) and Makerspace &company in Sydney are two of the country’s longest-running practitioner-led spaces, offering studio space, workshop facilities, support and resources for designers, makers and artists working across the mediums of glass, ceramics, textiles, wood and metal.
Similarly, Claisebrook Design Community in Perth is a space for inventors and small businesses to test and prototype.…