Did you know that Baltimore is “awash” in DIY spaces where Makers, hackers and modders can gather to share ideas and tools, sip some brew and happily void warranties? According to The Baltimore City Paper, the town has witnessed an explosion of new hacker, modder and Maker spaces over the past few years.
“Besides the Hackerspace, founded in 2009 and now on the far east side, there is The Node in the Station North Arts District,” writes Edward Ericson Jr. “And last month The Baltimore Foundery opened on the 200 block of South Central Avenue. All offer tools for metalworking, wood, computers, and robotics, but each has a slightly different focus.”
In addition to the above-mentioned space, there is also an MIT-affiliated Fab Lab hosted by the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville, the Unallocated Space near BWI airport and BUGSS, the Baltimore Under Ground Science Space founded by Dr. Tom Burkett.
“Part of it is there’s a resurgence in the whole notion of making,” Jason Hardebeck, the landlord and co-founder of The Foundery, told The Baltimore City Paper. “My little brother—he’s 40—asked me what a makerspace is. I said it’s what the hipsters call workshops.”
Meanwhile, Matt Barinholtz, founder of FutureMakers, says he thinks the country took a wrong turn 25 or 30 years ago by halting the manufacture of items that could be taken apart, repaired or re-imagined. However, things are clearly starting to change as an increasing number of people all over the globe count themselves as part of the rapidly growing Maker Movement.
“This is not a fad. 15 years from now, this is how we’re going to continue to learn and build our economy,” he added. “[We have] parents and kids welding together. We want moms and sons welding together. What could be more awesome than that?”
The full text of “The City That Hacks” is available at The Baltimore City Paper.
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