By: Rusham Verma, SFU Student and Phone Min Thant, Arts & Culture Editor
In February, SFU Surrey established the fabricommons at the Fraser Library in collaboration with the School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT). Described as “a hands-on learning space,” it has numerous equipment for various creative and professional uses: 3D printers, sewing and embroidery machines, direct to film printers, heat presses, and many more. To learn more about the lab and its significance to the SFU community, I had a conversation with Leanna Jantzi, head of Fraser Library, Mikael Kriz, Makerspace librarian, and Thecla Schiphorst, associate director and professor at the SIAT.
The fabricommons were inspired by SFU Burnaby’s Media and Maker Commons. Kriz said, “Probably our number two biggest request since we opened the Media Maker Commons on the Burnaby campus in 2020 has been ‘Can you please open this space in Surrey?’” Its inception has also been motivated by concerns of community outreach, as Schiphorst explained how the commons would be of service to various demographics that are at the heart of Surrey.
The commons aim to fill the gaps in equipment in Burnaby, as Kriz explained. “What we did not have a lot of in the Burnaby makerspace were textiles [ . . . ] With the growth and interest in studying and creating wearable technologies, it was really important for us to create a space that was very dedicated to this type of future project.” When asked about the potential to push the creative boundaries of artists, Schiphorst elaborated, “We teach design and we teach media art as well, so we are considering having workshops of artists and designers that do interactive fabrics to inspire students [ . . . ] It is an open space for things that are physical because the physical world is not going to go away. The physical world can help us consider our relationship to the digital world.”
“Accessibility feeds creativity. So by removing barriers, our hope is that it does invest and encourage creativity.” — Leanna Jantzi, head of Fraser Library
Accessibility remains the core tenet of the fabricommons. Jantzi added, “Not all of us can afford these pieces of equipment, not all of us know how to use these things so we need someone to show us so, by removing those barriers, the hope is that it does invests and encourages creativity just by [urging everyone] to come in and try it out without any fee.”
For students testing the boundaries of the new equipment, Jantzi suggested a process that may help them settle in. “First, make an appointment. All the information is on the website. As a first-time user, you would be making the appointment, doing a Canvas course specific to the piece of equipment that you are interested in. On your first appointment, you are going to be meeting up with a graduate facilitator in the space who will walk you through everything, and as you come back and get more familiar, you can engage more.”
As the commons gains traction, Jantzi is hopeful that more feedback from students will be helpful in improving not only their experiences using the room, but will also contribute towards better learning and creative opportunities. If you happen to have a class or simply are visiting SFU Surrey, make sure to give the fabricommons a visit and learn a new — and important — skill!
