Fab Lab Kannai is a manufacturing laboratory for citizens in Kannai, Yokohama. As one local base of globally-networked Fab labs, it is operated according to the Fab Lab Charter, a common philosophy of all Fab labs with the three main themes of “make,” “learn,” and “share.”
It pre-opened in March 2013 and officially opened on the last day of FAB9 (an annual FAB LAB network event) held in Yokohama. In 2015, they renovated one room on the fourth floor of their current Taisei Building, and reopened it on a room scale as the first lab in Japan. The renewal fund was raised through a crowdfunding “LOCAL GOOD YOKOHAMA” operated by NPO Yokohama Community Design Lab, and they succeeded in collecting over 600,000 yen from 48 supporters. Currently, the base has been relocated to the second floor of the same building.
There are 30 members, and several 3D printers inside the Fab lab, as well as machine tools such as sewing machines and laser cutters. PLA (biodegradable bioplastic derived from plants such as corn) is ready to use as a 3D printer material. In addition to holding manufacturing workshops on a regular basis, it functions as a local manufacturing base, cooperating with co-working spaces in the Kannai area, making nameplates for start-up companies, and developing business labs in local community spaces.