Thomas Ermacora launches the LimeWharf ‘Machines Room’, a prototyping lab for members, wunderkids and local enthusiasts. Ermacora has curated a space focusing on socio-environmental impact technologies benefitting from the opportunities of distributed manufacturing, open source hardware development and participatory design.

The ‘Machines Room’ will be open to visitors but particularly encourages ‘makers in becoming’ to use the facilities to prototype their ambitions, with resident makers available to coach them. It continues LimeWharf’s experimental approach hybridising different known formats. There will be three different parts to the Machines Room: the Makerspace, where anyone, on a membership basis, can come and use the machinery, with demonstrations from resident makers; the Academy, where people can learn new technologies & skills; and an Incubator/Accelerator, where entrepreneurs can bring ideas to life.

This addition to the already vibrant Cultural Innovation Hub which has a cafe, galleries, co-working spaces, artists and technologists in residence (Clear Village, TWSU and more), is a way to amplify the possibilities of creation onsite as well as inspiring locals of all generations that may not naturally go to a hackspace to learn about this emerging reality.

The Machines Room’s features include a laser cutter, vinyl cutter, Roland CNC, 3D printer, an electronics bench, a tool bench and sewing/embroidery machinery and an assortment of other kit invaluable to designers, artists, textile specialists and other product makers. The ‘Machines Room’ will fit in with the fabrication ecosystem in East London and be connected to the Fab Lab network as well as hosting a Maker Library in conjunction with the British Council.

The long term ambition of the initiative is to give prosumers a serious play environment that can inspire socially impactful solutions for places in need, particularly within the developing world. Promoting an ethos of self-reliance whilst also providing a platform for entrepreneurs and people who want to make change through affordable innovation, the ‘Machines Room’ connects the dots between tech, enterprise and the arts.

LimeWharf’s founder, architect and curator, Thomas Ermacora, is a creative director and social entrepreneur, who wants to make the initiative an open-door ‘ecosystem’ for cultural innovation bringing together dynamics to the benefit of the surrounding area. ‘There is a dreamer in all of us that can intuitively imagine the consequence of exponential technology developments today on the future of everything around us. Wikipedia combined with 3D printing is unleashing incomprehensible opportunities that makerspaces around are exploring. I want to create a fertile ground for innovation that blurs the boundaries between science and art, and stimulate that interaction towards meaningful and impactful products and ventures. Power to those willing to get their hands dirty…’
– Thomas Ermacora, Founder, LimeWharf

Watch the Q&A session from our Press Launch here:

The Machines Room: Opening Times FROM 1 JULY 2014

Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10:00 – 18:00 Commercial Day
Wednesday 10:00 – 18:00 Commercial Day
Thursday 10:00 – 18:00 Commercial Day
Friday 10:00 – 18:00 Public Open Day
Saturday 10:00 – 18:00 Public Open Day
Sunday CLOSED

For press enquiries, high res imagery or interviews, please contact
Sabine Zetteler at hello@sabinezetteler.com or call 07791 568890.

Alternatively, contact the LimeWharf team direct at contact@victoriawharfprojects.co