Ideas Lab

Want to gain practical skills in Sydney’s newest makerspace?

This 2-hour weekly session is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience with our equipment and guidance from expert makers.

In our regular Wednesday Maker time sessions, we’re celebrating the Sydney Lunar Festival.

We’ll have fantastic pepakura templates to create your own zodiac animal mask. Pepakura is a fun new papercraft technique that combines origami and scale modelling to create sculptural shapes. The 3D masks cover your entire head and looks amazing when complete.

You can also bring your own simple idea or project you’d like to explore to this session. We can also set you up with a starter project.

You’ll get access to 3D printers, a laser and dye cutter, electronic kits and hand tools including soldering irons. Each week, 2 experienced facilitators will be on hand to show you the ropes and discuss your ideas.

These sessions will help you better understand maker projects and processes and the potential use of makerspace equipment.

Book now
Wednesday 29 January, 4.30pm-6.30pm
Saturday 1 February, 2pm-4pm
Tuesday 4 February 11am-1pm
Wednesday 5 February, 4.30pm-6.30pm

Bookings and class size: Maximum 12 people.
Suitable for: Ages 16 years and over
Experience level: A desire to expand technical design and knowledge, physical making skills and hands-on experience of makerspace equipment is beneficial
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewelry
Bring: Your projects. Pepakura templates and some materials like LEDs, electronic sensors, cardboard and craft materials will be available.

Turn up the volume on your very own FM radio in this 3D design and electronics workshop.

You’ll assemble an FM radio circuit and research, design, 3D print and laser-cut a bespoke outer case. You’ll use sketches and computer-aided design tools to help you create your case, and you can customise it whichever way you please. The only limitation is your imagination.

You’ll need to attend every session to complete the course and your radio.

What you’ll learn

• Basic skills in computer-aided design (CAD), 3D printing, laser cutting and electronics
• Designing products using Autodesk Fusion and exporting them to a 3D printer
• Soldering and assembling electronic products
• Creating a bespoke casing around electronic products

What you’ll get to take home

Your very own FM radio, personalised with your bespoke outer-case design.

Important info

Bookings and class size: Maximum 12 people – bookings are required

Suitable for: Ages 16 and over

Experience level: This is a beginner program with no required knowledge. An interest in bespoke small design manufacturing is beneficial

Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery

Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible events. If you have any access or communication needs, please contact us.

About the facilitator: Ben Roberts
Ben is an experienced broadcast engineer and trainer for Modfab in rapid-prototyping technology. Modfab is a leader in 3D printing workshops and provides education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) to all ages.

Do you want to come and try-out Sydney’s newest makerspace? Join our weekly sessions to get hands-on experience with 3D printers, laser and dye cutters, electronic kits and soldering irons.

Maker time is designed to encourage a do-it-yourself or collaborative approach to making and give you a better understanding of maker projects and processes. We have a range of starter projects and makerspace kits to try.

There’ll be 2 experienced facilitators at each session to introduce you to the tools and equipment as well as methods to support you in your making journey.
Bookings and class size: Maximum 10 people. You don’t need to come every week, just book in for the sessions you’re keen to join.

Saturday, 1 February, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Saturday, 1 February, 2020, 2pm – 4pm
Tuesday, 4 February, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Tuesday, 11 February, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Wednesday, 12 February, 2020, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday, 18 February, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Wednesday, 19 February, 2020, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday, 25 February, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Tuesday, 3 March, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Tuesday, 10 March, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Wednesday, 11 March, 2020, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday, 17 March, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Wednesday, 18 March, 2020, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday, March 24, 2020, 11am – 1pm
Wednesday, March 25, 2020, 4.30pm – 6.30pm

Suitable for: Ages 16 years and over
Experience level: No experience required
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery
Resources provided: Materials like LEDs, electronic sensors, cardboard and craft materials and 3mm plywood (limited sizes) are available. Each participant can use the 3D printers for 30 minutes each session.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible events. If you have any access or communication needs, please contact Annette Webb on the phone number provided.

In this workshop guided by expert facilitator Albert Ong, you’ll collaborate with other design enthusiasts to improve a product from everyday life.

Learn the design ethos “build quick, test quick, learn quick” and employ it in the creative process for your newly perfected product.

Explore your radical redesign idea with the rest of the team. Together, you’ll collaboratively prototype your products, simulate the experience and refine the interaction using open source electronics, mobile devices and digital services. Then it’s time to share everyone’s contributions and boost the collective knowledge.

What you’ll learn:

• Lean prototyping principles, which helps you quickly develop and iterate a prototype for your product
• Collaborative learning and collective knowledge
• How to use makerspace tools such as craft and power tools, including hand tools, glue guns and blades to build prototypes

What you’ll get to take home:

• A simple and functional prototype of your reimagined product

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required.
Suitable for: Ages 16 years and over
Experience level: A basic level of assumed knowledge – a general interest in design, game play (digital and board) and general computer familiarity.
Wear: No loose-fitting clothing or jewellery and enclosed shoes.
Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible events. If you have any access or communication needs, please call us.

Facilitator: Albert Ong

Albert is the founder of Tinkery, an educational electronics supplier and electronics design consultancy. He has taught at UTS across multiple disciplines, including engineering, science, design, and transdisciplinary innovation. He is currently working across projects like wireless sensor networks, urban AI systems, brain machine interfaces and seamless human-robot immersion technologies.

Join this series of workshops to learn how to create digital designs for 3D printing and laser cutting using the free online application TinkerCAD.

TinkerCAD level 1
Get an introduction to the 3D design process and the basics of TinkerCAD. This 2-hour beginner’s class is suitable for people with little or no experience.

Tuesday, 11 February, 2020, 6pm-8pm
Saturday 15 February, 2020, 11am-1pm

By the end of the class you’ll be able to:

• navigate the interface
• make shapes using linear and rotating patterns, grouping, aligning and flipping
• create a custom 3D printed name tag.

TinkerCAD level 2
If you’ve completed level 1 or have some TinkerCAD experience, this 2 hour intermediate class is for you.

Saturday, 15 February, 2pm-4pm
Tuesday, 18 Feburary, 6pm-8pm

By the end of the class you’ll be able to:

• navigate the 3D galleries and templates and websites such as Thingiverse.
• augment designs and hack objects together using the Scribble tool and share generators to create new objects

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 and over
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery
Bring: Yourself – all materials and laptops provided.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible events. If you have any access or communication needs, please contact Annette Webb on 02 9265 9333.

If getting a new job is one of your New Year’s Resolutions for 2020 you won’t want to miss this session presented by LinkedIn with the City of Sydney.

LinkedIn will be presenting on what the fastest growing jobs are in Australia for 2020, the skills needed for these roles, as well as broader trends around the jobs market.

LinkedIn will also share practical and actionable tips on how to stand out in a competitive job market.

Agenda:

• 5:45pm – Doors open and networking
• 6pm – Event begins, presentation from LinkedIn
• 6:45pm – Q&A
• 7pm – Event concludes and there is a chance to network at the bar downstairs

This event will be held at the City of Sydney’s Ideas Space within the library at Darling Square. The Idea’s Space is where entrepreneurs, knowledge workers, and big and small businesses can come to extend themselves and evolve to be better at business. The Ideas Lab events offers access to experts, thought leaders and data-led insights.

Being better refers to both continuous improvement, innovating, upskilling and doing better by customers, workers and the environment. Being better means connecting with those in the know, and tapping into the latest data and insights to inform future decision making.

The venue, Darling Square Library is a stunning building designed by Japanese Architects Kengo Kuma & Associates. Darling Square Library, is 4 times the size of the existing Haymarket Library, is open 7 days a week.

This workshop is inspired by ‘plantoid’ or ‘soft’ robotics, a fascinating field of robotics developed for geological and space exploration.

Soft robotics draws inspiration from the movement of living organisms, principles that will help you create your moving robot sculpture.

Find out how to harness electronics and inflation to give your robot life. Guided by expert facilitator Tully Arnot, you’ll learn how to build an electronic circuit, code a microcontroller and create a prototype. You’ll make your moving sculpture with everyday items like paper, cardboard and cloth.

This workshop comprises 2-hour weekly sessions for 3 weeks. You’ll need to attend every session to complete the course and your sculpture.

What you’ll learn:

• Basic electronic circuit-building using littleBits. littleBits include components like DC motors, dimmers and light sensors that can add movement and interactivity to your sculpture.
• Coding an interactive or kinetic electronic circuit with the open-source prototyping platform Arduino.
• Soldering an electronic circuit.

What you’ll get to take home:

• Your very own kinetic soft robotic sculpture.

Bookings and class size: Maximum 12 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 and over
Experience level: This is a beginner program with no required knowledge. An interest in electronics, robotics and prototyping would be beneficial
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery
Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible events. If you have any access or communication needs, please contact us.

Facilitator: Tully Arnot
Tully is a visual artist and educator with a strong interest in DIY electronics and kinetic sculpture. He completed a Bachelor of Design and Master of Fine Arts at UNSW Art & Design and is also an artist-educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Make an impression and discover the detail of the human body in this lifecasting and mould-making workshop.

Guided by film and theatre prop-maker Alexi Creecy, you will learn how to cast small sections of your hand and face and create a silicone mould for different artistic purposes such as jewelry, craft projects, and unique hand-made chocolates. You will have an opportunity to paint your casting and learn about different colouring techniques. This workshop is an introduction to skills often used in special effects for film, theatre and photography as well as design.

What you’ll learn:

• How to create a cast of a feature of your face or hand
• Choosing the right materials and relevant processes for casting the body and releasing a mould
• Different design effects, including using multiple colours, materials and scenic effects

What you’ll get to take home:

• Castings of part of your face or hand, made for alginate, silicone and plaster
• A fridget magnet made from your casting
• A silicone mould made from your casting that can be used for anything from sculpture to food products

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 years and over
Experience level: This is a beginner project with no required knowledge. An interest in sculpture, mould-making and gaining skills in the makeup effects industry is beneficial.
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery.
Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

This workshop is not suitable for people will allergies or sensitivities to the following materials: alginate, silicone, plaster, plaster bandages, resin and, Vaseline.

Facilitator: Alexi Creecy
Alexi is an effects and prop maker. He studied design and properties production at Enmore TAFE and NIDA. He has worked on movies like Aquaman, Ghost in the Shell and has made animatronics for Belvoir St Theatre.

Learn computer aided drawing and how to model 3D objects using Fusion 360.

This cloud-based software gives you the ability to quickly create and iterate your design and make photorealistic renders and animations.

Fusion 360 level 1
Explore the fundamentals of Fusion 360 in this 2-hour hands-on workshop and get an understanding of how designs are made and assembled.

By the end of the workshop you’ll be able to:
• navigate the user interface, tool bar and workspaces
• create basic models
• use the collaboration tools

No experience is necessary however an interest or background in art and design is beneficial.

Tuesday, 10 March 2020, 6pm-8pm
Saturday, 28 March, 2020, 11am-1pm

Fusion 360 level 2
Learn the basics of parametric modelling including free form design, assembly creation, rendering, 3D printing, documentation and collaboration.

By the end of the workshop you’ll be able to:
• understand the parametric computer aided design (CAD) workflow
• model, render and document a part

Level 2 is designed for participants who have completed level 1 or are competent users of TinkerCAD or basic 3D modelling software.

Tuesday, 17 March 2020, 6pm-8pm
Saturday, 28 March 2020, 2pm-4pm

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 and over
Bring: Yourself – all materials and laptops provided.

Design and make your own wearable sculpture or fashion accessory in this fun 5-hour workshop.

Laser cutting has exploded in the fashion industry. With expert facilitator Laura Jade, you’ll explore future fashion techniques, combining material design, digital fabrication techniques and laser cutting for textiles.

This is a great hands-on introduction to fashion design and laser cutting for complete beginners and DIY makers and designers. You’ll first learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator to design your creation such as a decorative neckpiece, collar or cuff. The designs are then laser cut using different coloured felts ready for you to assemble into your final piece.

What you’ll learn:

• basic digital design tools using Adobe illustrator to customise your pattern
• fabricating your wearable design using the laser cutter
• techniques to construct your final piece
• understanding of design thinking, concept development and prototyping

What you’ll get to take home:

• your own custom designed wearable sculpture or fashion accessory

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 and over
Experience level: This is a beginner workshop with no required knowledge. Basic sewing skills and an interest in design is helpful
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery
Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

Facilitator: Laura Jade
Laura is an illumination artist and interaction designer. For over 10 years, Laura has created and delivered workshops for events, festivals, schools and museums. She is the creative director of Brainlight, an interactive brain installation that lights up with the power of your mind.

Design and make your own neckpiece illuminated with LEDs in this fun workshop.

Laser cutting and wearable electronics has exploded in the fashion industry. With expert facilitator Laura Jade, you’ll explore future fashion techniques, combining illumination design, wearable electronics and digital fabrication.

This is a great introduction to fashion accessory design and laser cutting for complete beginners, DIY makers and designers. You’ll get hands-on to learn how to laser cut textiles and add soft-circuity to light-up your custom creation.

Soft circuits are electrical circuits created using conductive textiles with discrete electronics components like lights, batteries, switches and sensors. Discover the endless possibilities for integrating soft circuits into textiles using conductive thread and LEDs to illuminate your design.

What you’ll learn:

• Basic digital design tools using Adobe illustrator to customise your pattern
• Fabricating your wearable design using the laser cutter
• etextile basics, including how to integrate hidden or exposed electronic components like LEDs and batteries into your design
• Understanding of design thinking, concept development and prototyping

What you’ll take home:

• Your own custom designed illuminated decorative neckpiece

Bookings and class size: Maximum 8 people – bookings are required
Suitable for: Ages 16 and over
Experience level: Beginner workshop with no required knowledge. Basic sewing skills and an interest in electronics and design is helpful
Wear: Enclosed shoes and no loose-fitting clothing or jewellery
Bring: Yourself – all materials provided.

Facilitator: Laura Jade
Laura is an illumination artist and interaction designer. For over 10 years, Laura has delivered workshops for events, festivals, schools and museums. She is the creative director of Brainlight, an interactive brain installation that lights up with the power of your mind.