Shanghai and Shenzhen: April 6-8, 2013

This workshop critically examined connections between the informal networks of shanzhai  山寨 production and the open innovations of the DIY (do it yourself) maker community in China. It took place in Shanghai and Shenzhen, which are both hubs of China’s growing Hackerspace and Maker scene and also constitute international centers of the global flows of shanzhai technology.

The event began in Shanghai with a panel discussion at the Rockbund Art Museum, bringing together a wider public with leading researchers and practitioners in the field of shanzhai and making: Tom Igoe (NYU ITP, Arduino), Amanda Williams (Fabule Fabrications), David Li (XinChejian), Ricky Ye (DFRobot), Wu Hao (C2Tech).

What followed were two-days of hands-on engagement with the open hardware scene & shanzhai manufacturing markets in Shenzhen. This included tours through the Huaqiangbei electronic markets, visiting shanzhai vendors and sourcing materials, curated discussions between hardware start-ups and makers at Shenzhen's Hackerspace Chaihuo, and a curated tour through Seeed Studio with Eric Pan and Tom Igoe.

Participants

Anna Greenspan (Adjunct Professor, NYU Shanghai)
Silvia Lindtner (Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Irvine & Fudan)
David Li (Co-founder, Xinchejian)
Tom Igoe (Professor, NYU)
Denisa Kera  (Assistant Professor, National University Singapore)
Suzanne Livingstone (Strategist, Wolf Ollins)
Luke Stark (doctoral student, NYU)
Juerg Neuenschwander (independent film maker)
Amanda Williams (Co-founder, Wyld Collective)
Bruno Nadeau (Co-founder, Wyld Collective)
Paul Gazillo (doctoral student, NYU)
Davide Gomba (Arduino Worker, Italy)
Alice Tagliabue (Project Manager, Arduino SA)
Ricky Ye (DFRobot)
Wu Hao (C2Tech)
Zach Hoeken Smith (Makerbot, HAXLR8R)
Gao Lei (IMLab)

Workshop Program:

Day 1
04/06

Public Panel Discussion: Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai

Associate Mission Building, 169 Yuanmingyuan Road, 1st Floor. As part of the "All Tomorrows Parties" series (episode 6) takes place from 2-5pm

Moderators: Anna Greenspan (NYU Shanghai) & Silvia Lindtner (University of California, Irvine & Fudan University)

Panelists: David Li (Xinchejian), Tom Igoe (NYU ITP), Amanda Willams (Wyld Collective, participant HAXLR8R), Ricky Ye (DF Robots), Wu Hao (C2Tech)

Day 2
04/07

9:30- 12:00 – Tour Huaqiangbei Electronic Markets, lead  by David Li

12:00 – 1:30pm: Lunch Break (covered)

2:30 -4:30 Panel & Discussion at Chaihuo Hackerspace at OCT Loft area
Featuring: Eric Pan (Seeed Studio), Zach Hoeken Smith (HAXLR8R, Makerbot), Gao Lei (IMLab)

4:30pm - 6:30pm: Dinner Break

7 pm: Show & Tell, HAXLR8R startups, Chaihup makers & Startups are showing off their open hardware projects

Day 3
04/08

9am: Leave OCT Loft to Visit Seeed Studio

10am – noon: Visit Seeed Studio; Tour lead by Eric Pan & conversation with Tom Igoe

noon – 2:30pm: Lunch (covered) & end of workshop

Supported by

Shanghai Studies Symposium
NYU Shanghai
ISTC-Social (Intel Science & Technology for Social Computing)
The Rockbund Art Museum
Xinchejian