Spark Lab started in a basement storage room at UNBC in 2022. The space had a few 3D printers, some borrowed tools, and a question: what would happen if students, researchers, and community members could experiment with equipment usually locked behind departmental doors?
Three years later, the lab has moved upstairs—literally. Now housed in room 270 at the Wood Innovation and Design Centre downtown, Spark Lab has outgrown its “experiment” phase. Hundreds of people have passed through to print prototypes, scan objects, debug code, or solder circuits. Regulars keep coming back. This year, with full integration into UNBC’s operations, the lab is scaling up.
The concept is deliberately hard to pin down. It functions as a workshop, a co-working space, and occasionally a classroom where formal coursework leaves off. Visitors get hands-on access to 3D printing and scanning, CAD software, electronics prototyping, and AI tools. But the equipment is secondary to the autonomy it creates. When a researcher learns to 3D-print custom optical hardware instead of ordering it, they save thousands and months of waiting. When a grad student builds a working prototype for their thesis, they prove the concept before seeking funding. When a community member repairs their own gear, they skip the service fees.
Real projects have emerged from this access. A collaboration with BC Cancer produced specialized research tools. Graduate students have tested product ideas before committing to manufacturing runs. One research team 3D-printed optical components that would have cost tens of thousands to fabricate traditionally, accelerating their timeline by months. Work with Two Rivers Gallery and School District 57 has extended the lab’s reach beyond campus. The annual Spark Discovery Week, now part of UNBC’s outreach calendar, was prototyped here with regular members.
The lab’s next phase focuses on connecting people across the region. We are building out mentorship networks and clearer pathways to UNBC resources for inventors and entrepreneurs who don’t know where to start. AI literacy and digital fabrication skills are becoming baseline requirements in most fields, but hands-on learning remains scarce outside major cities. Spark Lab exists to close that gap for northern BC.
A pop-up makerspace will open on the main campus this semester, with new programming to follow. If you have a broken appliance to fix, a thesis prototype to build, or just want to see what a laser cutter actually does, the door is open. Visit sparklab.unbc.ca for hours, or stop by room 270 at the WIDC.
