HUDSON SQUARE — A two-day event in Hudson Square will showcase the neighborhood's transformation from a haven for printing factories to a buzzing tech sector inhabited by startups and creative institutions.
For two days, passersby can pop into various office building lobbies to watch 3-D printers produce models of street furniture including bike racks and benches, learn to compose music with modular synthesizers, and listen to podcast hosts, museum directors and web designers talk shop, as part of a neighborhood event called "Hudson Square in 3-D."
"Hudson Square in 3-D will showcase the ideas, people, and technologies that are transforming our neighborhood, city and world," said Ellen Baer, CEO of the Hudson Square Connection, the business improvement district organizing the event.
The neighborhood is home to WNYC public radio, video conference company TED, new media startups Mic and StumbleUpon, art firm Saatchi + Saatchi and the co-working company WeWork.
Two of the events — a 3-D printing exhibit and a workshop on modular synthesizers — are free.
The 3-D printers will chug away at producing models of bike racks and benches in the lobbies of 75 Varick St., 200 Varick St. and 330 Hudson St. from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 10 and 11, and modular synthesizers will be available to play with at the Fridman Gallery at 287 Spring St. on June 11.
Ignite Gotham will host one of its signature rapid-fire talks from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 11, featuring bigwigs from companies with some connection to "wearable technology," web design, and 3-D printing, to discuss how 3-D printing has affected the fashion and art worlds, as well as the food and healthcare industries.
Each speaker will present 20 slides that advance every 15 seconds whether the speaker is ready or not.
The podcast talk will include hosts Todd Barry, Kaitlin Prest, Manoush Zomorodi, and Nat Ives, also on June 11 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Both events will be held at the New York Genome Center at 101 Sixth Ave., and $10 tickets are available online.
