ALFABRIKA is a creative Lab and makerspace located in Ard al-Liwa (Giza) that was established with an aim to facilitate an exchange of knowledge between formally trained design/art students with local craftspeople/manufacturers. Founded in 2019 as an extension of CLUSTER’s interests in creative industries, ALFABRIKA emphasizes the exchange between formal training and practical knowledge through a series of design-make-learn workshops offering a generative process of exchange and mutual learning.
ALFABRIKA occupies a number of neighboring shop fronts in the vibrant al-‘Usayri street in Ard al-Liwa, and comprises a range of spaces, tools and facilities hosting a myriad of programs and activities within its mission statement.
ALFABRIKA is set up through a series of spaces and resources, including a laser cutter, 3D printer and a CNC router, in addition to a wide range of manual and power tools offering an integrated design-make-learn process. It also includes a seminar room that provides a space for exchange and collaboration, including a resource library and necessary audio-visual equipment, as well as a workshop space offering a flexible set up for cutting, model making and small-scale prototyping for both individuals and groups.
In 2022, ALFABRIKA expanded to a new space across the street, ALGAMALON, refurbishing a warehouse into a shared space more suitable for the capacity building and prototyping workshop, that is able to accommodate more people with more safety measurements for everyone.