Ideas come ture in Beijing Makerspace

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Tow makers discuss the idea of changing skateboards into four-string guitars at the Beijing Makerspace in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2013. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

Beijing Makerspace, located in the Zhongguancun International Digital Design Center, is an open community lab, where people gather together to share resources and knowledge to build and make things.

"The lab was first set up for boys who love DIY to experiment their ideas and make the thoughts come to reality," Wang Shenglin, co-founder of the Beijing Makerspace said.

When Wang graduated from university in 2011, he rented a some 20-square-meter apartment at Xuanwumen in Beijing and held workshops once a week with friends who shared the interests in technology, design and art. They made various samples like cube robot, quadcopter, touch desk and 3D printer.

However, a successful sample always requires a large number of tests that cost money and time. Sometimes, months' of experiments may still result in failure. Moreover, the samples were only made out of interest, not for commercial profits.

Therefore, Wang has to look for investors to keep the workshop running.

A turning point appeared in 2012 when Beijing Makerspace was awarded the title of "Innovation Incubator" by Zhongguancun, known as China's Silicon Valley, and moved to an office of about 200 square meters.

The bigger space allows their sharing sessions and lectures to attract dozens or even hundreds of members to attend. The space has also collaborated with Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) since the beginning of 2013 by holding workshops there once a month, providing the opportunity for more people to enjoy the process of DIY.

"Once you got an idea, you could go to the Makerspace and make it come true," Wang Shenglin said. "Because it's a lab for anyone who has a dream."

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