Doha: Virginia Commonwealth University for arts (VCUarts) in Qatar launched "Tink-erLab", which will offer a new variety of tools for creatives -artists, designers, and innovators- from across the local education sector and the wider community, giving them a resource to turn to when inspiration strikes them.
VCUarts explained that the lab will offer a variety of tools that may not be currently available or acces-sible at the university, or elsewhere, creating a new shared space at VCUarts Qatar for those interest-ed in creating and innovating with tools and equipment.
The university added that the TinkerLab will be open by appointment to the general public in addition to its own students, staff and faculty, which will enhance the art and design university's commitment to promote hands-on engagement, exploration, and experimentation in creative practices among the local community.
VCUarts also pointed out that the inventory of tools and equipment supports work ranging from de-tailed, delicate work to more elaborate, experimental work, adding that examples of tools and equip-ment include, but are not limited to, handheld digital microscopes, a sewing machine, a desktop vacu-um former, as well as a wide variety of cutting blades, precision tools, modeling tools, in addition to equipment for papermaking, dyeing, and biomaterial explorations that will also be available to experi-ment with.
The TinkerLab further supports additional forms of learning, experimentation, and production that may be cross-disciplinary and multi-faceted in nature.
Materials Library Curator and Assistant Professor at VCUarts Qatar Yasmeen Nabeel Suleiman said: "Our new space in the Materials Library with its well-stocked array of tools, means that the Materials Library expands beyond just showing off its incredible collection of material samples, to providing op-portunities for designers to use those materials in creative research and experimentation."
"Future plans include a series of activities that will serve to broaden the exposure, knowledge, and discussion of materials and making, among the VCUarts Qatar and wider communities," she explained, adding that these include workshops and talks that will catalyze the TinkerLab and Material Library as learning tools, helping attendees benefit from the expertise of guest speakers who will be thoroughly selected.
