Maker Spaces and Privilege

On Day 2 of the Paris Summer Innovation Fellowship I toured Leroy Merlin’s TechShop; the first of its kind in Europe. With 3-D printers, a machine that uses water to cut through metal, and a whole host of other high-tech tools, TechShop gives individuals the opportunity to create and manufacture almost anything they can imagine. In order to access the facility one must pay a monthly fee starting at 50 euros.

As a person who employs design and systems thinking as an approach to solving global challenges, I am often astounded by the inaccessibility of design and maker spaces to disadvantaged populations. Even more peculiar perhaps is the use of these spaces to design solutions for certain groups of people, instead of with them.

The language in which we make designs available matters. The possibility of putting artisanal and traditional craftspeople out of business matters. Ensuring that these spaces do not increase existing inequalities matters.

Entering into high tech spaces as an individual who has not been formally trained in coding, 3-D modelling, engineering, etc., often leaves me feeling uneasy at first. However, the more time I spend in the space, the more I see the value of bringing people from different disciplines together to create sustainable solutions to pressing problems. In order to ensure the sustainability of our solutions we must move away from this idea of ‘innovating for the poor’. Instead, we need to co-create with the populations who will ultimately utilize these solutions. We must work together.

In developing a model for urban refugee housing in Paris, my teammates and I have prioritized the ability for refugees to be able to build and customize the space in which they will be living. More importantly perhaps, is the integration piece, and figuring out how to facilitate meaningful interactions between refugees and Parisians.

How does this “tiny house” / modular living solution fit into the urban environment that already exists? How can our proposed solution improve the entire system? Instead of viewing the development of refugee housing as a challenge, I am choosing to see it as an opportunity — to not only improve the lives of refugees, but to also improve the lives of Parisians, and other host populations in the process. From diverting waste and improving sustainability, to enhancing the Parisian culinary scene, and providing opportunities for gainful employment — the “tiny house” is not just a house, but a home.