It is getting really serious here at POC21. Since a bit more then one week our team is building the final parts for the exposition that will be held this weekend. Our goal is to have at least three working modules or capsules like we call it now: An energy module driven by solar and pedal power, an open air cinema capsule and a mobile Fablab. Surprisingly we found enough time to make a second energy system that will be showcased at the expo. But it didn’t go smooth at all!
The Process was long but interesting
First we had some problems finding the right format for our modules and had multiple meetings with the designers from POC21 to choose that perfect frame. What we didn’t know is that perfection doesn’t exist in Open Source, or better said it is a utopia. We choose to take all information in consideration and just build our first frames. The first results can be found here in this blog post, and will be documented the next couple of days so that everybody can start building their modules and improving the general system. Our Fabtotum (a creative common licenced 3D printer that also works as a CNC, laserprinter and many more) will be ready for the Gesneden Woord weekend we will be having at the end of the month between Brussels and Rotterdam! Icing on the cake will be at the Designer expo in Breda on Saturday and Sunday where we will be part of the official catalogue.
Everything fits perfectly on each other
Lasercutting the modular insides
Testing out the Fabtotum
The Inside and outside Frame
The project as everlasting evolution
As time went by at POC21 it became more and more clear what Vélo M2 was becoming. Not only a road crossing of three collectives making interesting modules for their own sake and cargo bike, but a platform for anybody wanting to think differently about public space, mobility and renewable energy.
We learned thanks to POC that what we are doing is in constant changing, building brick by brick with new people, new information. We started building a community on twitter and facebook and got already some interested partners that want to share their plans, help building modules or simply use what we are making. We hope to have our website online at the beginning of the expo with the first documentation how to make the universal cases for any cargo bike, how to make the cinema and Fablab capsules and finally how to build your own renewable energy modules. We hope other people will join really soon, and we invite anybody who is interested in building, rethinking or helping to start contacting us really soon.
The battery in his natural habitat
The pedal power system without the casing
Cutting pink mousse to stabilize the big and heavy parts
Introduction to our lexicon
More and more words are getting clear in our head. This are the terms we will be using a lot in the next couple of months.
#velom2 – Vélo Square Meter: 1m2 to rethink public space without fossil fuel and the electric grid, using a cargo bike
#openspace – Opening public space to all kind of temporary uses, and making the tools #OpenSource so anybody can repeat it
#modularcapsules: The cases we made are build to be stackable, have interchangeable parts and unlimited possibilities. When a case gets a use and a story it becomes a capsule.
#pedalpower: What best way to show how hard it is to make energy as by making it yourself. 1 person can make 100 Watts. We need at least 20 people to boil water…
Vélo M² 