TH-Wildau - News
Ten years of ViNN:Lab for all - TH Wildau's makerspace celebrates its anniversary and its diversity
ViNN:Lab, the makerspace of TH Wildau, celebrated its tenth anniversary on 5 February 2024. For exactly a decade, the ViNN:Lab team has been supporting users of all target groups and ages from the university and the region with expertise and modern manufacturing technology for their projects. This makes the ViNN:Lab one of the longest-serving makerspaces in the region and it still has many plans for the future.
There was already a small celebration on 5 February 2024 and it continued on Open Lap Day. The ViNN:Lab, the makerspace of the Technische Hochschule Wilda - University of Applied Sciences (TH Wildau), celebrated its birthday. It has been supporting users with expertise and modern production technology in their projects for a decade now.
For the university and the region
The makerspace is used by many target groups and age groups, whether from the university, from the region or as part of school workshops, festivals and university events - the ViNN:Labb in House 16 on the TH Wildau campus has already seen many visitors. In 2023 alone, it even set its own new record with 1,350 users.
During this time, the ViNN:Lab has not only developed into a place for creative work, but also into a meeting place where different groups of people come together on an interdisciplinary basis to share their ideas and develop them further together. Eva Ismer from TH Wildau has been coordinating the ViNN:Lab for many years and expressed her thanks on behalf of the makerspace team: "This is a great anniversary. We would like to thank the many users who we have been able to support over the years and whose ideas and projects have made the ViNN:Lab what it is - a space for innovation".
Succesful YouTube channel
The ViNN:Lab has also been very active online for several years. The YouTube channel in particular, originally launched as a replacement for the popular on-site workshops during the coronavirus pandemic, has established itself as a permanent fixture after the pandemic. More than 150 videos on a wide range of topics are available. Despite the actual niche and the wide range of topics on YouTube, the ViNN:Lab has an impressive 35,000 views per year and 1,000 subscribers. This makes ViNN:Lab the fastest growing makerspace channel in Germany. In addition, it regularly provides up-to-date information and ideas for tinkering, inventing and developing in its own blog or on Instagram.
Eva Ismer: "Additional thanks also go to TH Wildau and all other supporters of the ViNN:Lab. The whole team is looking forward to continuing to advance many large and small projects in the future, to impart knowledge and to promote the innovative strength of the region with the possibilities of our makerspace."
Diversity creates ideas
There is so much on offer that it is difficult to list all the possibilities. If you are interested, it is best to see for yourself, come along to one of the Open Lab Days and let the dedicated team show you everything. With the KiVi:Lab children's and school laboratory, the team offers an additional workshop programme for entire school classes and groups to raise awareness of STEM subjects and studying. Since 2018, there has also been an urban gardening project on the roofs above the university in the form of Greenspace. Renewable energy and self-sufficient energy supply are also part of the programme. In addition to private projects, students like to use the ViNN:Lab to create models for their degree theses or seminar papers. The makerspace is also used for research.
The next dates and workshops:
- 14 February 2024: "DIY puzzle lasering" - online workshop
- 28 February 2024, 4.30 - 5.30 p.m.: "Brother VR embroidery machine - quick-start guide" - online workshop
- Open Lap Day - usually every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.: https://vinnlab.th-wildau.de/events/open-lab-day-77/
Facts and figures from the past year:
- Age composition in 2023: 80 per cent of users are under 40 years old.
- There were 325 first-time referrals in 2023. So there are a lot of "repeat offenders".
- Over 700 students were on site in 2023.
- 50 per cent of users are not members of the university.
Contact person at TH Wildau:
Eva Ismer
FabLab Manager
ViNN:Lab – Makerspace der TH Wildau
Hochschulring 1, 15745 Wildau
Phone +49 3375 508 757
E-mail: vinnlab(at)th-wildau.de
Scientific management
Prof. Dr. Dana Mietzner
Phone.: +49 3375 508 199
E-Mail: Dana.Mietzner@th-wildau.de
Contact persons External Communication TH Wildau:
Mike Lange / Mareike Rammelt
TH Wildau
Hochschulring 1, 15745 Wildau
Phone +49 (0)3375 508 211 / -669
E-mail: presse@th-wildau.de
Caption: The ViNN:Lab, makerspace of the TH Wildau, is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Picture: ViNN:Lab TH WIldau / Text: M. Lange