ORGANIZED BY BISEVO ISLAND ARTIST RESIDENCY, FABLAB CROATIA, FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE ZAGREB WITH THE SUPPORT OF VULCA EUROPEAN PROGRAM AS PART OF ADRIATIC GREEN LAB INITIATIVE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF OD&M.

Why Biševo needed makers?

As permanent or temporary residents of Biševo Island, we are witnessing strong touristic exploitation of the island. In this process, local residents with their lives and needs on this remote island remained forgotten, while history, memories, traditions and identity of Biševo are being lost.

In terms of life on the island, available resources and infrastructure, this beautiful Adriatic pearl has been neglected for almost a century. Water availability and its quality, waste management and protection of island nature are few of several issues that residents face on a daily basis, without support of the authorities seated on the neighbouring island of Vis.

Makers are creative individuals as a part of the makers culture, where technology is used to DIY (Do It Yourself) new devices as well as tinkering with the existing ones. On the Biševo Makers Island Workshop 2019 a diverse group of makers worked together, while using their simple technological skills and creativity to solve local issues (water, waste, island mapping) and leaving their projects to the local community.

Guided by the thought be the change you want to see in the world, this was their small, loving attempt to improve quality of life on Biševo based on creative makers energy, leaving small technological creations with a goal to make island life better and further share the experience globally.

MOTIVATION

Motivation for maker residency came from our friends in Green Lab Valldaura, near Barcelona. Their motto “Live, Design and Fabricate a Real-scale, Self-sufficient Prototype in Valldaura” motivated us to think about models for real problems we face on islands in Croatia. Therefore, “Adriatic Greenlab” initiative is established.

INSPIRATION

FabLab and City of Zagreb are part of Fab City global initiative since 2018, with motto “Locally Productive Globally Connected Cities and Citizens”. Fab City Manifesto is the core of our new greenlab island concept, shaping ”Adriatic Greenlab” initiative. Idea is to build models and solutions based on makers culture, local production, global knowledge, and since we are on islands, upgraded with nature based solutions.

MAKERS WORKSHOPS

• Remote sensing & mapping of island
• Plastic waste collecting & recycling
• Water related problems (collecting & testing)

Future vision > what about 1st Global Maker’s Island?

Education (R)evolution is the most important mission of the initiative Make@School (Croatian: Stvori u školi), with the objective of encouraging creative and productive way of thinking in children in elementary schools. Also, it is a part of a global inititative Fablab@School.

Within the framework of this initiative, as a small pilot project, we visit elementary schools that show interest, and bring children closer to modern technologies that can enable them to create their ideas, bring STE[A]M skills closer through Design Thinking methodology.

Mission is related to the transformation of education and our contribution to learn a different way of learning, learning by doing. All this has resulted in activities in schools, libraries, but also working on projects such as FabLabNet or DOIT Europe, and with international groups such as Innovation in Education and networks such as European Schools of Makers or FabLearn.

We have visited dozens of schools so far, and some of them have been included in our projects. More about visits to schools and their involvement in projects can be found on other pages and publications.

MOTIVATION

Adriatic GreenLab Island is FabLab initiative inspired by Green Lab in Valldaura near Barcelona, Fab City Manifesto and topics related.

Their motto “Live, Design and Fabricate a Real-scale, Self-sufficient Prototype in Valldaura” motivated us to think about models for real problems we face on islands in Croatia. Therefore, “Adriatic Greenlab” initiative is established, that can deal with issues on isolated and remote areas such as island.

As a first step, in September 2019 we organized 1st Maker Workshop on Island of Biševo in Adriatic, as a kind of pilot activity. We bring together local community and makers to solve some local context issues.

INSPIRATION

FabLab and City of Zagreb are part of Fab City global initiative since 2018, with motto “Locally Productive Globally Connected Cities and Citizens”. Fab City Manifesto is the core of our new greenlab island concept, shaping ”Adriatic Greenlab” initiative.

Idea is to build models and solutions based on makers culture, local production, global knowledge, and since we are on islands, upgraded with nature based solutions.