The Deconstructed Makerspace

This session will present our efforts to develop and maintain a deconstructed makerspace at Bates College. Representing an alternative model to makerspaces, our approach emphasizes coordinating practices across multiple existing facilities and their respective pockets of expertise rather than concentrating or duplicating resources in a centralized facility. We will review a series of initiatives developed to make our facilities more cohesive and designed to provide new opportunities for users to meet, learn, and collaborate together (including workshops and outreach programs). Our goal for this session is to generate through discussion actionable ideas that apply to institutions with similar environments as Bates.

Outcomes: Explore an alternative approach to makerspaces that could be applied to your institution with minimal investments in infrastructure * Identify potential areas for collaboration between campus studio spaces and technology centers * Determine key areas for expansion on campus to provide your constituents with new creative opportunities