The New Makershape Community: Create, Connect, and 3D Print

With a dedicated mission to encourage the worldwide community of makers and designers to share their work, Makershape provides a free platform where models and files can be displayed in detail. With no cost to anyone, it’s a true free marketplace.

Based in the UK, Makershape is a new 3D printing ‘free space’ created by a small group of practicing designers who believe in simplicity and the concept of giving everyone access to technology and the beauty of contemporary designs being produced in the 3D printing community. With a simple registration process, users can share their own designs, check out those of others, download files, and 3D print.

A true online outlet for inspiration and fun, Makershape will be in beta testing for the next year. Executive Director Giovan Battista states that he has a number of innovative and surprising new developments in mind for the platform which will take place in the near future.

“I wanted to give to the people something more,” said Giovan Battista. “I’ve chosen to release a nice vision of Makershape values.”

 

Makershape already features an impressive array of 3D designs and models, with the following categories:

‘Dream Homes’ for birds

• Architecture
• Art
• Clothing
• Design
• Electronics
• Games
• Health
• Homewares
• Jewelry
• Pets
• Tools

Community members have posted some incredibly unique ideas, from ‘dream homes’ for birds to really useful items like the wheelchair ramp design. Appealing to the gamers, there is a variety of electronics designs featuring game controllers, cases to house electronics and cards, and a design to 3D print your own inner and outer cases for your Raspberry Pi. There are designs for mini-arcades, a variety of figurines, and board games and pieces. Useful designs for the home abound, such as lampshades, candle holders, and kitchen utensils like a 3D funnel.

To start sharing your designs and checking out those of others, all you need to do is register at Makershape. After that, you can upload and download designs, as well as connecting online with other designers. Users can create personal profiles and share what information they would like about themselves, with the information being displayed on the workshop page, which is a unique public showroom where members and designers can “share designs and social contacts.”

Designers are encouraged to write descriptive and informative introductions regarding their work, including what inspired them to create the designs, as well as what materials they used and any tips for 3D printing that particular model.

The site is streamlined for ease in use, and even offers the ability to create ‘loveprints,’ for easy access in toggling back and forth between favorites. Users can look forward to seeing many new designs as popularity in the free community blooms, and new features become available. Makershape looks to their community for suggestions and ideas on what new features would suit their needs within the free access design platform.

“I’ll always listen to the community feedback because I’m making this for them, and for 3D printing,” says Battista.

Have you checked out Makershape yet? How do you think its concept compares to other 3D design and 3D printing platforms and marketplaces? Share your thoughts with us in the Makershape 3D Printing Community forum thread over at 3DPB.com.