5-18-2015

OmniCorp is a makerspace, a space for artists to…well, make things, using the resources provided within the space and collaborate with each other. When the class visited OmniCorp in Detroit, Paul (a student from last semester’s ID5 class) showed us around.

The space itself is rather interesting. OmniCorp doesn’t have a formal organization, and the layout reflects that. Different projects litter the floors, walls, and even ceilings. There are no hallways, so it’s just one room flowing into the next, each space getting smaller. Paul explained that the first room, the largest, is where the tables and projects move around often, depending on the needs of the space. The smaller rooms are for extended projects. There are no formal rules, so if somebody wants to use one of the smaller rooms, he/she just casually asks the other members if they’re using it.

The building itself blends with the other projects, which I found very interesting and reflective of the group. The floorboards seem patched together like it was built over time, the walls are made of different materials, and even the elevator is used as a small shop.

The experience was eye-opening to me because I never thought any kind of operation could run with so little regulation. The concept is still foreign to me, however, being a creature of rules and strict organization, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to be in order to create amazing art like the people at OmniCorp.

Check out their blog at: http://omnicorpdetroit.com/blog/