(Jashodhara Jindal / Heights Editor)
Walking down the second and third floors of 245 Beacon St., the wall-to-ceiling glass windows offer a glimpse of students hard at work on various creative projects.
The Hatchery, which comprises the Makerspace and Prototyping Studio, provides students with the tools and guidance to explore their inner creativity. With materials and equipment funded by Boston College, anyone, from long-time artists to complete novices, can use the Hatchery to boost craftsmanship skills.
If you’re curious about what the Hatchery has to offer, here are some of the more popular creative outlets available!
Metalworking and Woodworking
Recently transformed into a state-of-the-art studio is the Hatchery’s woodworking shop. The space allows you to embark on both small and large creative endeavors. The third-floor Prototyping Studio holds the Hatchery’s heavy woodworking machinery, with tables covered in sawdust exhibiting its frequent usage.
“We’re constantly adding new equipment and tools and trying to advance the methods we’re teaching people and the projects that we’re investing in,” said Erik Winkler, communications coordinator for the Hatchery.
The Hatchery has table saws for cutting larger planks of wood, as well as smaller equipment for more detailed woodworking. For example, a wood lathe is a handheld tool that helps students learn how to make bowls. Whether you’re looking to make a ring bowl or a mortar and pestle, the Hatchery can teach you how to do it with your own two hands.
The Hatchery also works with clubs, organizations, and professors to provide lessons. The art department sponsored a sculpture-making class, where students went twice a week to work on their projects, some of which are displayed on the wall outside the studio.
The Hatchery’s CoLap works specifically with clubs and organizations to run small classes, such as sewing classes for fashion-related clubs. Many of the facilities can also be used for more general club tasks, such as sticker and t-shirt design.
3-D Printing
One of the Hatchery’s most popular attractions is the various 3-D printers, which allow students to explore their coding skills and see their digital creations come to life. The Hatchery’s array of printers gives students the opportunity to design either extremely detailed miniature sculptures or large-scale creations.
Sewing
The Hatchery has many sewing machines available for daily use. Even if you don’t know how to sew, you can attend a sewing training to get acquainted with the machinery before beginning your own projects.
The sewing training provides students with instruction on how to sew a tote bag, which you take home at the end. Every training results in a tangible product, a gratifying experience for those who are tapping into their creativity for the first time.
“The idea is that people can take the trainings that they’re interested in, and there’s a lot of cross-pollination in terms of how those different skills can be integrated in whatever project you’re trying to make,” said Winkler.
Even after the training sessions, there is no shortage of aid available. The Hatchery has students and staff constantly in the studio wearing their signature yellow aprons and ready to answer any questions.
Vinyl Cutting
Vinyl cutting encompasses a multitude of unique and helpful creative fields. The Hatchery gives students the opportunity to make decals, with size options that accommodate almost any design need.
The Hatchery also has a sticker maker for printing decorations for water bottles, laptop cases, or car bumpers.
With a UV printer that allows images to be cut out in specific arrangements—such as puzzles—the Hatchery has the machinery for any creative need.
Garment printing and screen printing
If you’re looking to make custom t-shirts, skip Custom Ink and go straight to the Hatchery, where you can do it yourself. The Hatchery debuted its screen printing studio last fall, and since then, it has been a great place to make batches of unique apparel.
Like all the other equipment, every student is taught how to use the garment printer and screen printer before they use them, and after that, they can stop by the Hatchery anytime during its open hours to realize their designs.
Attending a brief online orientation allows students to gain access to the space, and the individual training sessions focus on the specific areas students want to explore. From there, it just takes a bit of creativity for students to enjoy everything the Hatchery has to offer.
“We want you to come in and experiment and try a ton of new things because that’s where we find the most value,” said Winkler.