Zoe Laughlin

Institute of Making
(2010 - ongoing)

The Institute of Making was founded by Zoe Laughlin, Mark Miodownik and Martin Conreen in 2010* in order to celebrate and explore the relationship between materials and processes. It became part of University College London (UCL) in 2012, and opened the current space on Malet Place (London, WC1E 7JE) in March 2013.

At the heart of the Institute of Making is the Materials Library – a growing repository of some of the most extraordinary materials on earth, gathered together for their ability to fire the imagination and advance conceptualisation. A place in which makers from all disciplines can see, touch, research and discuss, so that they can apply this knowledge and experience to their own practice.

Alongside the Materials Library is the Makespace – a workshop where members and guests can make, break, design and combine both advanced and traditional tools, techniques and materials. The facility brings together equipment, expertise and perspectives of making from a wide range of disciplines, encouraging users to engage in the craft, design, technology, history, philosophy, art and engineering of making.

*From 2005 to 2010 the project was simply called the Materials Library.
For more information about the Institute of Making, please visit >>www.instituteofmaking.org.uk<<