Human Ingenuity Hub

In 'a world relying increasingly on skill and innovation and decreasingly on material resources', creativity and ingenuity are the most valuable commodity we possess. They have allowed us to defeat many serious illnesses, feed an ever growing population and develop technologies that change the way we interact with the world. Our life expectancy increases around five hours every day due to advances in medical research.

Human innovation is increasingly moving away from universities into the hands of the public. People are designing medical apps without medical qualifications. Organisations such as the X-Prize foundation and Google's Science Fair are providing even more incentives for people to be innovative. Earthwatch allows ordinary people to go on expeditions to do scientific research. Technologies are making it easier to find and analyse information every day. But where does the public get the space and resources to be innovative?

Artists around Melbourne have access to many great facilities including open-access printmaking studios, photography labs and other creative spaces. However, there are no places for creative people to perform their own experiments or have access to the kind of tools necessary to obtain accurate scientific results.

Inspired by the community biolab "Genspace" in New York and the increasing role of the public in innovative technologies, the Human Ingenuity Hub (HiH) places science and technology in the hands of the public, giving the Melbourne its own community labs and research centre.

The Abbotsford Convent Precinct is a creative district, holding ninety artist's studios, a gallery, outdoor cinema, a gallery and other artistic spaces. It is a place where people pursue their creativity, an ideal location for the new community labs and research centre. Generating a space for art and science to meet, producing creative science and inspired art.