LAB14
TYPE Training
DATE September 2019 > ongoing
LOCATION Paris 11th district
PARTNERS Acina, Réfugiés Bienvenue, En Temps
FUNDERS Fondation Orange
From the workshop to the fablab
Lab14 is a socially-responsible FabLab dedicated to professional wood construction training located in the Square, a co-working space in the 11th district of Paris. It allows people to learn how digital manufacturing and more traditional tools work, as well as to understand the logic of producing built objects. The production of small structures and furniture in the space is in line with the projects carried out by Quatorze.
Lab14 sets up real professional training courses lasting several months. The first course is intended for refugees and thereafter, the training course will be adapted to other audiences during the year, in order to reach a wider public. Short introductory courses (35 hours) are also still offered, most often to a mixed group of people in precarious situations and young students. These formats allow people to discover the world of the FabLab and to learn how to use the machines in a collaborative and open-minded atmosphere.
Transversal approach to timber construction
The courses promote transversal learning. That is, they enable an understanding of the entire production chain including the use of traditional carpentry tools and the operation of digital tools like the CNC mill.
Training in real-life situations
The training is based on real situations, following Quatorze’s production methods. The goal is for the trainees to observe and understand the whole procedure by participating in parts of the implementation process. Prefabrication in the workshop is at the core of the course, allowing trainees to familiarize themselves with various tools through “Learning by doing” techniques. On-site interventions, during which the trainees will take part in the assembly of their work in situ, will also be favoured as much as possible.
Socially responsible architecture
During their time on-site, learners also take part in one of Quatorze’s social and solidarity-based projects. From the creation of bedroom furniture for unaccompanied minors to the assembly of a tiny house to accommodate refugees, their actions take on an added social dimension.
