Photo essay: Maker space mystery project

April 19, 2018

Sarah Friedland Storytellers' Institute Director solders during an open house at The Hub

by Julia Marco | Photos by Chris Massa

Students, staff, and faculty joined together for an afternoon of mystery “making” at the Hub, a Skidmore maker space.

Upon arrival, makers were presented with a battery, LED bulb, and mini circuit board. With no instructions other than “head to the soldering room first,” makers followed student guides on a hands-on tour of the Hub and its capabilities. Room by room, from vacuum thermoforming to 3-D–printed product assembly, makers collected clues and built their creations—the final product a mystery until the very end.

Michael Mattone 19' (center) assists Ben Harwood (left), lead instructional technologist, with using soldering equipment to attach LED lights to circuit boards.

Ho’o Hee, left with the Skidmore College Makerspace assists Sarah Friedland, Storytellers' Institute Director with soldering during an open house at The Hub

Ho’o Hee (left), maker-in-residence, assists Sarah Friedland (center), Storytellers' Institute director, with her maker space creation.

a piece of electronics is soldered during an open house at The Hub

Julia Marco, content marketing manager, learns how to solder at the Hub.

staff and faculty work together to create a battery operated miniature construction cone during an open house at The Hub

Staff and faculty work together to assemble 3-D-printed bases for their creations.

Michael Bonadio with the Art Department works on a battery operated miniature construction cone during an open house at The Hub

Michael Bonadio, art lecturer, uses hot glue to finish his creation, a miniature construction cone light.

a battery operated miniature construction cone is shown during an open house at The Hub

A battery-operated construction cone guest makers built at the Hub.

About the Hub

The Hub is a temporary shared maker space created as an early element of Skidmore’s project titled “The Idea Lab: Innovative Pedagogy and Maker Spaces.”Opened in May 2017, it’s home to 3-D printers, sewing machines and conductive thread, art and hardware supplies, lasers for etching and cutting and much more. Part lounge, part experimentation lab, the Hub is where people of all backgrounds can make something together.

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