Typology Common Space Workshop
The Common Space Workshop provides space and infrastructure for urban production and creative development, well equipped to meet the possibilities and requirements of digital technologies as wells as traditional crafts. In the Common Space Workshop, the focus is on collaborative work and mutual learning.
An increasing number of people is engaged in crafting, repairing goods and the DIY culture. Today there are several private initiatives spread across the city, many of them struggling with financial issues, administrational problems or a lack of space. Most of these small workshops are dependent on the private commitment of the people who run the facilities. This is why the use of these facilities is often connected with a costly membership, long waiting lists, limited opening hours or long travel distances. However, a centrally organized network of connected large-scale workshops that are well-equipped, easily accessible and affordable is missing in most towns. Implementing the new typology of the Common Space Workshop can thus support existing initiatives, facilitate awareness for the circular economy and promote the diy-culture and people active in the creative businesses.
The Typology of the Common Space Workshop is not only a „nice to have“. Wasting materials and resources comes along with a very high price: our ecological and economical wellbeing is at stake! Predictions tell, that if Austria won’t change its climate strategy, we will have to purchase additional climate certificates worth up to 4,2billion € until 2030.
Site visit at WUK https://www.wuk.at 
Site visit at werksalon https://werksalon.at Linking these challenges to the increasing number of citizens wanting to engage themselves in do-it-yourself or do-it-together projects can result in new potentials. The Circular Workshop Typology promotes and reaches out to a network of local and international stakeholders and strategies, such as the Fab City Project with a focus on sharing information and knowledge globally, while keeping material circulating locally.
Emerging from an MIT project in 2001, the Fab City Project wants to reinvent the cities into more generative places, where people are engaged in meaningful work, using their talents and passions. (fab.city) Vienna unfortunately is currently not part of this network, however more than 30 cities around the globe are already connected to tackle their common challenges together.
