The team at Make More, who have established Maker Faires across the Czech republic (11 this year alone), and the super-doers at Prusa Lab have put together a fantastic array of makers to capture every interest you never knew you had. Stayed tuned to this page throughout the weekend for live updates of the coolest projects, wildest costumes, and a peek at the interesting makers from around the world who have traveled to Prague to show just how they made “that” thing!
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June 10 + 11, 2023
Maker Faire Prague is a go! This year’s event has moved behind its former home (under renovation after a fire) to a new series of modern pavilions directly behind the previous venue. Yet it remains full of curious people who have made wonderful things sharing their ideas with even more curious people. A taste of what’s on show…
Printing, Printing, and More Printing
With Prusa as a primary sponsor it is unsurprising that Maker Faire Prague would have a fantastic exhibition of what you can do with a 3D printer. Although there is the usual display of models large and small, what is new this year is the networked array of printers–the farm–that work in sequence with a robotic “arm” that removes prints as they are completed from each of the modules. On a rack and pinion system, the cube of printers can work in tandem on projects rather than each being programmed separately to work at scale more efficiently–what Prusa calls “The Future of Manufacturing.”
Printers from Voron we’re also on display as well as many smaller model in the service of other projects.
Raketová Základna Bratronice
The Bratronice missile base – also RZ Bratronice – was built in the 1980s as part of a new air defense system for the capital city of Prague but since decommissioned. Today, the area of the Bratronice missile base was taken over from its owner for lease by the Bratronice Rocket Base and it houses a post-apocalyptic refuge for creatives who hold annual events to share their aesthetic. In 2022, they organized the Cybertown Festival–the best of the spontaneous postapo community and the world of glowing cyberpunk! Learn more about their space + art HERE.
Mechanique Fantastique
“Watch?!”, a four-meter high mechanical installation with countless moving parts, kept running by a crazy inventor… Matthias Vijverman came all the way from Austria via the Netherlands where he picked up his “fantastique” watch sculpture. As the name suggests, this installation strongly resembles a clock although the hour cannot be read from it.
He has created a series of other sculptures, including the amazing fire-breathing Garuda, and a wonderful hand-built Steam Bike that appears to run on several kinds of fuel. “Does this motorcycle run on steam or not, even the creator seems to have difficulties figuring out. The ecological theme is certainly also present in this installation as I put us to thoughts how we move ourselves, what we waste and throw away, how much we pollute on a daily basis.”
Česky Radioclub
Just as Maker Faire wouldn’t be complete without R2D2, it is rare to find a Faire that doesn’t have some sort of old radio devices. It’s always cool to be reminded of how seamless modern technology is compared to the highly technical (for their time) devices of the past. The Česky Radioclub brought a number of different objects to Maker Faire Prague, including this “updated” (with 8-bit computing) telegraph machine that was first invented around 1910. This one hails from the 1970s and was found covered in in dust in an attic and painstakingly restored. The maker explained that although he had a schema from which to work, it was in Dutch and he had to work solely from the “international language” of diagrams. The type art is from historical designs that were part of ham radio operator contests (speed and design seems to both have been a factor in winning). They also provided a handy Czech guide to the NATO phonetic alphabet.
Exoot’s Animatroniek
Some things grab your attention and just don’t let go. Tristan Kruithof creates all sorts of crazy contraptions that we’ve seen at Maker Faire before, but these creatures are among the most captivating Animaltroniek is a layered audio-visual installation; radio-controlled with simple recognizable wooden 3D puzzles as a basis. The objects are far from lifelike, yet they feel alive. According to Kruithof even the dogs think so. “The technique is totally clear and transparent and nothing is hidden, yet the spectator reacts with a certain emotion. I am fascinated by how quickly the human brain accepts the world through recognition of image and movement, convinces itself and accepts something as realistic. Where is the turning point in the language of movement and imagery, that makes the human brain ‘switch over’ ?”
Bison!
Student maker Michael Carrera created a 450kg bison that looks amazingly real…
MakeTVee
His Instructables site is modest: “Old school maker doing all kinds of electronic projects. I love to play around with adressable LEDs. Raspberry Pi collector.” But, Martin Oehler, whose projects we became acquainted with at Maker Faire Hannover last year, really brings the fun out. Who doesn’t want to play a giant game of Tetris?!
Circular Economy
Maker Faire Prague has a strong curation of projects that focus on sustainability and circular economy. A couple of 8th graders put their heads together and came up with this fantastic little re-charger that is created out to the batteries from vape pens that generally go in the trash.
This stove which maintains heat from coals in a box also seeks to extend the potential of the fuel resource, as do the upcycled floppy disks-notebooks and cassette purses.
Forest from the Czech IT Academy
This innovative hydroponic growing system is extremely cool…as are the MTG-like cards of its makers.
A new game on the horizon…
Wild magic tore the world apart and began to unpredictably connect it. As the leader of your empire, you must tame this magic and use it against others for your survival. CRASH OF REALMS is a competitive board game focused on action strategy and correct positioning. The playing field is randomly composed of miniature islands that can be moved throughout the game – this makes each game different and will properly test your strategic skills. The player must properly use the produced materials and dominate the battlefield to defeat the opponents. The game is currently in closed beta version 1.2.
Paper kits, foam weapons workshops, spinning and weaving…
Try spinning by hand on a spindle, on a spinning wheel and weaving on a loom.”
Tiny Tesla coils (loud), DIY bioplastics from Maker Faire Zagreb, needle felted fruits and fairies, toys, toys, toys + a couple ships!
By the end of the weekend, more than 130 makers gathered in the Křižík Pavilions at the Prague Exhibition Centre and nearly 10,000 enthusiastic visitors had come explored and left with minds full of ideas (and stomachs full of the delicious treats from the wonderful food makers who delighted visitors)!
“I am very happy about this year’s edition. We managed to put together a varied program once again, quite a few new makers arrived and the natural compactness of the venue and the community dimension of the event worked beautifully. I am also pleased that the Prague Maker Faire is becoming more and more a part of the social consciousness. This year, we were very pleased to see the presence of the American founders of Maker Faire, colleagues from European festivals or, for example, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands or the Ambassador of Great Britain, who visited Maker Faire in Prague for the first time,” comments Vojtěch Kolařík, the main organizer of the event. Make’s own Dale Dougherty was on hand Saturday and discussed with Maker Faire Prague co-producer and Prusa Lab manager Ondrej Kašpárek the opportunities that making provides to people of all interests to not only do something new, but take what they know in new directions. There are more Czech Maker Faires this autumn so head over and check out more MAKERS!
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