Photo by m0851 on Unsplash
The case of NOD Makerspace shows how an abandoned heritage space can provide an opportunity for a collective of entrepreneurial minds.
The initiative is located in an old cotton factory in the city of Bucharest, Romania. It aims to create a diverse ecosystem where designers, artists, engineers, inventors, freelancers and entrepreneurs meet, discuss and create together. It has turned 1400m2 of abandoned factory into 21 private workshops, a fab-lab and a co-working facility, offering workshops with tools and machinery for a wide range of crafts. It supports small entrepreneurs in the creative industries to prototype and market their ideas. It is also home to the first and only materials library in South-East Europe, which contains over 2500 samples of material and aims to educate about types of materials and their uses. Furthermore, the building operates as a public centre for meetings, debates and civic engagement and is home to a restaurant and a rooftop bar.
NOD Makerspace has been initiated by a collaboration of 25 small entrepreneurs in partnership with large companies and providers. Currently, it has 350 members and is home to over 40 start-ups in a wide range of creative industries!
