Our guide to Makerspaces – Part 2

Posted By Claire Chabaud on May 25, 2016 | 0 comments

In the second part of our Guide to Makerspaces, we’ll check out two very different places. The Techshop de Paris, which has opened following the lead of Techshops in the United States. This place claims to be open to everyone, including families. And Volumes is a makerspace that is more entrepreneurial and surprising in its focus on research. In order to choose the makerspace best suited for you, we are convinced that you have to first check out its atmosphere and see if it fits you. This is why in our guide to Paris makerspaces we decided to interview the managers of these fablabs, to give you an overview of these lively and unusual places.

TechShop, when the American giant arrives in France

When you go into the TechShop, everything seems bigger. The machinery, the spaces, as well as your projects. Covering two floors, the 2000 m2 area offers a selection of 150 machines, that’s incomparable in France. Right away, we wanted to try out everything, including the water jet cutter, the giant laser printers, and the lace printer in the textile workshop. But perhaps what is most amazing in this place is the team, very attentive to your projects so they can support you. There is a friendly atmosphere and you quickly feel at home there. It’s a bit like the decathlon of Makerspaces.

Need a workplace?

One of the main advantage of Techshop is its opening hours, from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 10.30 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 9 pm. The hours you can access the makerspace are different according to your subscription.

There are three tarrifing options:

Morning option for 50 €/month , you can access the makerspace from 9 to 1.30 pm
Evening & Week-end option for 90€/month, you can access Monday to Friday from 4.30- 22h30 pm, and the week-end.
Limitless option for 150€/month, you can access at any time the makerspace

What can you learn to make?

There are 9 different workshops in Techshop gathering more than 150 machines.

CAD & Software
Wood
Metal
Textile
Laser Cutting
Electronic
3D printing and electronic
Bike mechanics
Painting and finishing

For each of these workshops, there is a formation to learn how to use the machines. You can have a look to their catalog !

Volumes, the Makerspace where food and parametric design come together

Volumes is a very atypical makerspace. In fact, as soon as you walk in the door, the delicious smell takes over your nostrils. And yet you came here to meet with a specialist in parametric design. The reason? Because Volumes combines both a foodlab and a fablab. After a delicious lunch prepared by the team who works in the foodlab, you can take a well-deserved power nap in one of the nap rooms. Many fixed desks are available and ready to welcome you as you set up your little entrepreneurial nest. Thanks to a partnership next September with a specialized degree in Data Design, Volumes stands out as the ideal makerspace for your projects that require significant parametric development.

Need a workplace?

This Makerspace has two kind of opening hours. A classic open hours From 9 AM to 7PM for the nomade subscribers and an amazing option 24h/24h and everyday for the resident. Meaning that this makerspace can be you real office, adapted to your timetable, no matter what it is.

There are three tarrifing options:

Nomade part-time 190€/Month
Nomade full-time 320€/Month
Resident 400€/Month

What can you learn to make?

In the Makerspace you’ll have access to a Laser cutting Machine, a FDM 3D printer and a CNC Machine. Meanwhile, in the Foodlab, you’ll can access a professional kitchen for one hour or a day.

Thank you to Techshop and Volumes for welcoming us in such amazing places!