While Shenzhen may be a mecca for Makers, Hong Kong is the first city in China to host a large-scale featured Maker Faire. The first annual Maker Faire Hong Kong, will take place this weekend, November 28 and 29, at the campus of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Jockey Club Innovation Tower. The Faire will offer a packed lineup of hundreds of Maker exhibits, interesting workshops, thought-provoking presentations, and exciting competitions. For the past three years, the Hong Kong Maker Club has laid the groundwork for this featured Faire by organizing and hosting the Hong Kong Mini Maker Faire. This year, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University takes the organizational reigns and promises an event to be remembered.
Build It Together
Timely Hong Kong
Timely Hong Kong is a large installation designed by PolyU Design students, which aims to engage 4,000 participants to co-create an art installation that mimics the landscape of the famous Lion Rock outside of Hong Kong. Participants will pick a color that reflects their feelings, and then each will make a personalized desktop lamp, which will then be added to the collaborative installation. After the unveiling, participants can pick up their lamps to take home. Pre-registration is required.
Suchastick
Led by architecture and urban studies lecturer and researcher Kuo Jze Yi, Suchastick is a group build put together by a group of local architects and designers, who are designing a timber frame system that could adapt to sites of various shapes, from linear to square to irregular footprints. The system is inspired by the traditional timber frame structures found in local houses in Sichuan region, which have been standing in the earthquake zone for more than 200 years. The wood used to build the structures is Cunninghamia, sometimes called China Fir. Fairgoers are invited to participate in the build of a structure (10 meters diameter and 3 meters in height) and learn about this classic style of building.
Wheel of Thing (WoT)
The Wheel Thing Makers are a group of Makers, innovators, and enthusiasts
with a nonprofit fabrication shop, who advocate the spirit of “Community of Practice” and have fun building a wide variety of wheeled creations for the betterment of the community. The group will host a build challenge as well bring their latest drill-powered kart (conceptually similar to the one that appeared in a previous issue of Make:), which fairgoers are invited to drive and drift.
Typographic Design Competition
As mentioned earlier, there are a number of competitions that will be hosted at Maker Faire Hong Kong. Among them is an “I Make” Typographic Design Competition open to all secondary schools in Hong Kong. The rules are simple: Create a typographic design with the letters “I Make” out of physical objects, which can either be natural, found, or made. Check out some of the really neat and creative entries so far!
Be sure to visit the Maker Faire Hong Kong website, for all the information you need to attend and to check out the wide array of creativity that awaits you, including Hebocon, Nerdy Derby, a pop-up print shop, underwater robots, and much more!
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