The Workshop
We first opened our workshop in 2023. Over that time we had to move several times, but each time we set up again in a new location. The workshop is constantly evolving — we build new equipment, modify what we already have, and work to make the space comfortable for both work and learning.
All of the workshop’s equipment was made by hand, right here in Tumanyan. In building it, we tried to use materials and tools that were locally available. Everything was created gradually, within our means, and then refined based on hands-on experience. One of the advantages of this approach is that our designs can be reproduced independently and at relatively low cost.
Accessibility is one of our priorities. The larger equipment came later, when we started making thick plastic sheets — but most of what we produce uses thin sheets. Working with thin sheets at a basic level requires very little: an iron, a sewing machine, and scissors. That's exactly how Luv Toprak started. So when we run workshops, we want to show that working with this material sometimes requires minimal investment. What matters most is imagination and a willingness to experiment.
Accessibility is one of our priorities. The larger equipment came later, when we started making thick plastic sheets — but most of what we produce uses thin sheets. Working with thin sheets at a basic level requires very little: an iron, a sewing machine, and scissors. That's exactly how Luv Toprak started. So when we run workshops, we want to show that working with this material sometimes requires minimal investment. What matters most is imagination and a willingness to experiment.
This is how Luv Toprak began
Making and working with rigid plastic sheets, however, requires more complex equipment. So we built two presses of different capacities, one of which is heated. We also developed some more unusual tools, including a hand extruder for joining plastic by setting rivets. This method of joining avoids the use of metal fasteners, resulting in monolithic plastic objects that can be recycled without disassembly. It was with this device that we made the sign commissioned by the coworking space and cafe Letters and Numbers in Yerevan.
The extruder is based on a caulking gun, borrowing its plunger mechanism. Inside, a heating chamber pre-heats the plastic, and a long narrow nozzle handles the final heating stage. The shape of the nozzle is designed to make it easy to form plastic rivets.
We continue to develop the workshop so that our work with plastic never stops. Our goal is to make this space even better suited for education and bringing projects to life.
