The themes of our day are collaboration, innovation, change.  In every field, practitioners at the cutting-edge are studying the lessons of open-source software development, micro-financing, crowdsourcing.  We have learned that we can go farther, by going together.

Micro-financing is a term from Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and visionary economist who’s shown us how far small amounts of money can go when working together, and how strong the drive to work and give back really is, in all people.

PlaceMaking is a term used to describe the more conceptual side of the design and development process.   More than a description of the buildings or spaces themselves, more than the end result, placeMaking refers to the process neighbors and builders go through, as they carve out spaces, materials, and the energy  needed to make new projects happen.  Place is the emergent effect of collaboration, building and space – more than the sum of the pieces which make it possible, a place is something special, unique, and greater than anything of us could create alone.

To motiveSpace, the terms together, equal possibility.

MotiveSpace’s vision describes a world where neighbors have tangible connections to the neighborhoods they live in.  We believe that the community assets making up a neighborhood should benefit the residents of that neighborhood – and that neighbors are better equipped to say what sorts of businesses or facilities they’d like to support, than most market or feasibility studies will ever be able to.

Neighbors know what their Neighborhoods need.

And neighbors can come together, to do great things.

The Hatch Lab project will allow motiveSpace to push the limits of micro-financed placeMaking.  We are documenting the lessons we’re learning, and are excited to share them.  Our goal for the Hatch Lab is ambitious – after the project opens we plan to offer at least 20% of the project’s value to neighbors, stakeholders, and end users: a community-led, operated, and community-owned space.

Over time, motiveSpace’s goal is to refine this model, to keep working hard to improve its potential, and prove its benefits.  Over time, our goal is to work on projects which grow to 100% community-driven, designed, and owned places.  We believe this is possible, and that it is necessary.  The information age economy is equipping us with the tools we need to grow, develop, and finance community assets on a scale unimagined before.   So get online, come out to the Salons, and help us understand – what does YOUR neighborhood need?

This month we’re holding the space for a project review and design session for the Hatch Lab project, in collaboration with Springboard Innovation.  After a 20 minute presentation on the project status, program, and goals, we want to hear from you.

Hatch’s mission is to provide an environment where new or experienced changeMakers and social entrepreneurs can come to use tools and resources, get support for their project, be inspired by others, or to work closely with community leaders, developers, and business owners who know how to make big projects happen.  We are cooking up a stellar program and list of services intended to help Portlander’s do well, by helping others.

We want to hear how YOU would use Hatch – what amenities excite you the most, how you want to be involved, and what you think we’re leaving out.  Come and join us:

MotiveSpace Neighbors Salon:

Community Design Session on Hatch!

Friday, March 5th, 4:00 – 6:00

Olympic Mills Think Tank, 2nd floor.

107 SE Washington Street, PDX, 97214

We’ll provide good drinks, wine, and refreshments – feel free to bring extra snacks, friends, and to pass along the invitation to your group’s members or staff.

We look forward to seeing you soon!  Mark your calendars for First Fridays, from 4:00 – 6:00- we’re asking a lot of big questions this year, and we need you to help us tackle them! ]]> http://motivespace.org/march-members-salon/2010/03/01/feed/ 0 http://motivespace.org/hatch-lab-project-formalizes-seed-team/2010/01/25/ http://motivespace.org/hatch-lab-project-formalizes-seed-team/2010/01/25/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:47:59 +0000 admin http://motivespace.org/?p=283 After extensive visioning and  concept development for the demonstration project called ‘Hatch: An Innovation Incubation Lab,’ motiveSpace and Springboard Innovation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to begin formal visioning and pre-development planning in 2010.

This is an extremely exciting project for the two groups – both Springboard and motiveSpace will use the Hatch project to turn their core Missions into a physical space, and show the power of collaborative, needs-driven development.  The Hatch project will allow motiveSpace to generate revenue in a mission-related activity, and will apply the Coalition’s Design Cooperate and Community Asset Funds programs to a real-world, high-need project.  No site has been selected yet, although both groups feel committed to locating somewhere in the Central Eastside Industrial District, and are actively seeking at least 25,000 square feet of mixed-use, high-density and vibrant space.  The Hatch project will also allow motiveSpace to formalize the Coalition workshops and curriculum for use by other members, and the community at large.

Springboard is the primary funder for the Hatch Lab, and wants to offer its facilities at little or no cost to Portland neighbors and innovators at the cutting edge of changeMaking.  Though the project program, (or laundry list of building features) is still under development, some of the must-haves currently topping Springboard’s list include:

• State-of-the-art wood, metal, and modeling workshops;
• Social-action Media center;
• ‘Blue-sky’ incubation offices for new start-ups.

Several other organizations look forward to joining the Hatch Lab Seed team, and contribute their time, materials, and funding to turn the Hatch vision into reality.  Come and join motiveSpace + Springboard on Friday, February 5th, to meet the team and learn more about this exciting project!