Adopting 'FabLab' Model to Embed Creative Entrepreneurship Across Design Program
Year: 2012
Editor: Lyndon Buck, Geert Frateur, William Ion, Chris McMahon, Chris Baelus, Guido De Grande, Stijn Verwulgen
Author: Pengelly, Jon; Fairburn, Sue; Newlands, Bruce
Series: E&PDE
Institution: 1: Robert Gordon University, United Kingdom, 2:MAKlab, Lighthouse, Glasgow, UK
Section: Design/Make interface
Page(s): 654-358
ISBN: 978-1-904670-36-0
Abstract
This paper sets out to describe and contextualize the impact a new FabLab workshop program has had on the direction and curriculum development at Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University towards more clearly linking current developments in rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing, and e-manufacturing services in engaging creative technologies and embedding entrepreneurial skill sets within our undergraduate program. These ambitions are set against specific rural issues of location, within a Northern European context, and associated ‘creative rural economy’ agenda[s]. This paper will report on specific issues and insights, and their impact, by examining the role design education can play in developing clearer and more sustainable patterns of entrepreneurship within an undergraduate design program, set against these external factors. Whereby, an emerging FabLab model, is developing within this design school, this technology has been positioned as a catalyst to integrate the Rural + Enterprise + Mixed Interdisciplinary Design approaches.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, FabLab, interdisciplinary, art & design education and rural