|Puerto Williams, Chile|
In 2021 we developed the project ""Estrechos digitales; Cultura y Tecnología Austral"" that stated to develop a cultural and technological encounter that generates an ecosystem that favours creation through design tools, digitalisation, participation and teamwork. Understanding design as a tool that generates cultural value to the regional and national social ecosystem.
Making this posible took effort from the FabLab team to manufacture and implement an itinerant laboratory in a pop up format. This mobile laboratory was temporarily installed in 3 cities in the Región de Magallanes, in the Chilean Patagonia. It was equipped with state-of-the-art technology and travelled more than 1000 kilometres by sea and land in the southernmost area of the world, withstanding snow, winds and low temperatures. This Pop - Up Lab was designed and built using the digital fabrication machines allowing it to adapt and transport to new locations. It was custom made and it is an example to the community of what can be achieved using these technologies. The modular design helped with the transport, itinerancy and care of the laser cutter, 3D printers and other machines that where of essence for all the educational activities that under went though out the journey. Lastly, the design promoted a modular installation which facilitated and expanded in the different spaces where the laboratory was situated.
A continuum of educational activities were promoted alongside with collaboration with experts from the region allowing the participants to learn about the possibilities of digital technologies such as programming with Scratch and Arduino, artificial intelligence with Teachable Machine and 3D modelling with TinkerCAD, as well as digital and analogue processes for their designs and prototypes.