Building a 3D printer has been touted as a great family activity, which it is for some families. Now, 3D Roundhouse is looking to make 3D modeling a family affair, as well. I had the opportunity to speak with co-founder and Managing Director, David Seto, this weekend at the Maker Faire. We had a great chat about his company and their goal of making 3D modeling an activity that the entire family can participate in.
While there’s no shortage of 3D modeling classes available, until now, they have been geared towards either teaching adults or teaching children. 3D Roundhouse is working to change this by creating an entirely new curriculum, in which families can learn how to model together. Currently, the program consists of both in-person workshops, as well as an online “Starter Kit.” The in-person workshops allow families of up to two kids to develop 3D their modeling skills and, in the end, they will leave with an object that is 3D printed on-site. Though the founders of 3D Roundhouse are based in New York, Beijing, and Hong Kong, their first on-site workshop was just recently launched in Tokyo. The online Starter Kit is a program that consists of 48 videos. The videos will instruct families on how to design the same objects in a variety of free 3D modeling programs, including Blender, 123D Design, SketchUp and Tinkercad.
I think that when it comes to 3D technology, while 3D printers are the “sexy” aspect of the industry, having 3D modeling skills is necessary, once the novelty of having a printer wears off, especially for the short attention span of a child or teenager. 3D Roundhouse provides a great, family oriented, service which can help teach families about one of the most fulfilling aspects of 3D printing. In talking to Mr. Soto, I came away impressed with his enthusiasm and I think that 3D Roundhouse provides a very unique and necessary service. Mr. Soto told me that he hopes that this can be “the new family game night.” When my step-kids were younger, we used to have a weekly family game night and this would have been a great option.
