Facilitec began occupying it’s current location for approximately three years. It is first and foremost a collaborative space. In the context of public vs. private spaces, Facilitec is considered a ‘Third Place’… anchored in its territory, co-managed and co-constructed by the collective intelligence of its participants. Neighbors, entrepreneurs and craftspeople worked together to build and conceptualize or ‘gestate’ its use, together. This means that there is a fluidity to the space that grew up in response to the needs of the users. In its current iteration, the three major ‘rooms’ consist of a workshop for the FabLab, a common space that includes a kitchen, an open plan social space with a small outdoor terrace and finally another open plan meeting room for quieter work and meetings. In Luxembourg a space like this, defined as ‘…between work and home’, is unique. In addition to its ‘Third place’ status what makes this space particularly interesting is also the method of construction.
The building has been co-renovated with participatory construction practices and the majority of materials and supplies are upcycled. Facilitec utilizes the sociocratic, or dynamic, governance system to achieve the co-creative and collaborative gestation of the space. This governance system is the foundation from which the entire ecosystem of initiatives, supported by CELL (the Center for Ecological Learning in Luxembourg), utilize. Facilitec was chosen as an example of a social enterprise in Luxembourg for its onging success in conceptualizing, organizing and constructing a space that is reflective of the current users needs. This system has allowed for the variety of users (neighbors, entrepreneurs and crafts people) to participate in a way the builds upon itself and provides a foundation for a strong and continuous growth of the community. Special attention to the interior design and layout of the shared space has also proven to be influencial in supporting the success of the space. The selection of upcycled supplies, appliances and furniture that was deliberate and sensitive to a modern feel supports the belief that upcycled does not always need to result in a vintage look. Finally, the success in finding a location that fits the specific limitations and requirements of this initiative in Luxembourg, is not to be underestimated. Facilitec currently enjoys a beneficial relationship with the current owners and the ability to design the interior from the walls inward, is supported and quite unusual.