The 412 - October 2014: When President Barack Obama visited Bakery Square in June, he spoke of what he called the New American Economy, sparked by innovation and bold ideas. Later, in an article he penned for Medium.com, Obama had said that TechShop Pittsburgh, one of eight nationwide “maker spaces,” a great example of this new economy at work. TechShop is a space where people with big ideas can look over each other’s shoulder and provide feedback or simply marvel at a cool idea, the exact kind of scenario that often evolves into a business. Members of the local shop receive informational classes held by industry professionals and gain access to professional equipment, tools and powerful software as well as the space needed to turn their ideas into reality — 16,000 square feet, in fact. All of this roughly costs the same as a monthly gym membership. - See more at: http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/The-412/October-2014/TechShop-Has-Become-a-Hotbed-for-Local-Businesses/#.VFKEohb4Kr8
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This new maker revolution that is sweeping the globe marks this time as an exciting time to be alive. It seemed like we had all reached a stasis of compliance and acceptance, but now it looks like people are using the tools available to them to better the quality of life for themselves and those around them. A big part of it has to do with the tools themselves. Innovations in laser cutters and 3d printers have made it so that any wild dream can become tangential by weeks end, and the creation of such companies and products like Kickstarter, Arduino, MakerBot, and even Etsy, have brought forth a creation-nation. It has recharged the artisan industry and has brought forth a sort of Renaissance to the world of crafting and creating. The best part about it is that this is the kind of revolution that can enrich itself; the result of the revolution is the fuel for it to grow.
Ever since I first heard of TechShop, I thought it was a fantastic idea. I remember wondering how TechShop decided to open up a location in Pittsburgh, of all places. However, after spending 2 and a half years in this city, it actually makes a lot of sense. Pittsburgh is a fun, creative, quirky town. It is also extremely cheap. People want a place where they can have the tools to have a creative outlet, and TechShop allows them to have those tools without having to buy the tools themselves. I wonder why TechShop hasn't opened up locations in New York City. I think New Yorkers would revel in the idea. The more and more companies like TechShop spread throughout our country, the more accessible it will be for entrepreneurs to more easily find success.
What a brilliant idea. TechShop is exactly what a diverse and creative city like Pittsburgh needs. There is so much innovation and work being done in the 412 that it is no wonder a perfect place like TechShop exists here. I think it is great that there is a place with resources where people who would otherwise be working out of their living room or kitchen can be in an environment where they are supported by individuals like them and are encouraged and inspired to create more and do more than they ever could on their own. Only good things can come from something like this and I can't wait to see what the future brings for TechShop and Pittsburgh.
This is just another example of how Pittsburgh is one of the most innovative and intelligent cities in the nation. Most people don't know that that Pittsburgh is home to more than 7 colleges, producing a new wave of college graduates who are going to change the world. Because of the influence we have had in the city, big tech companies such as google have set up camp here and greatly changed the local economy. I haven't had the opportunity to visit TechShop yet but i've know about it for some time and it sounds like a great addition to this ever changing city. Being at a big university, we get used to having access to technology such as laser cutters, 3D printers, and CNC routers, but after graduation it will be more difficult to find and access these machines. The studio setting TechShop creates is also such a great environment for inventing and creating. I hope to find my way there sometime soon and partake in this exciting innovative process!
I don’t think I’ve ever really heard of a shop that encourages people to pursue what they want to do. It’s good to see that there is this kind of foundation that allows the ingenuity of others to hone their craft. There should be more of these types of shops in different cities, and if there are, good for them. It will be interesting to see what the limits are as to what the shop can do. Already some of what has come of the shop has had success. Just goes to show that with the right tools, your imagination can come to life. Already the portable laser cutter has been making the rounds, as they were in campus this past week trying I guess to sell. We all need to have that creative touch every now and then, and maybe this is the place to get it done, or maybe it’s your home or school.
I am really excited to have been a part of the first summer at Techshop Pittsburgh, and the amount of press my friends and coworkers from that time period have been generating recently really excites me. Jordan's masks and Ollie's laser cutter are both really cool projects that I feel extremely privileged and proud to have known the creators before they gained press for their creations. I am super excited about the maker generation I am growing up in, and it is really awesome to be a part of it.
The success of initiatives like Tech Shop are a strong testament to this ongoing movement of democratizing processes and activities, something that was started by the internet and is starting to show up in many other ways. Nowadays, you can take an online class in just about anything, and many of them are completely free of charge, making education much more accessible to a wider range of people. The maker movement is simply another version of this idea that cool new technology and learning should be easily and cheaply available to many different people. Another aspect of the maker movement is a consequent cultural change toward a preference for DYI products and business; websites like Etsy, through which makers can sell homemade whatever-they-want, are a great example of the success of this new approach to making and consuming. It’s great that the Pittsburgh Tech Shop has become so successful, and I think that it is especially fitting and logical for that to happen in this city, which is undergoing a rapid and wonderful re-growth.
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