Sun Factory Lisbon 2026
📅 June 29 — August 11
An international contributive initiative empowering local actors through solar energy for artisanal manufacturing. Based on technological commons and open source principles, we develop low-tech solutions, share knowledge freely, and support local supply chains that create jobs and build resilient communities. Supported by Antenna Foundation.
Sun Factory empowers local communities, NGOs, schools, and makers to build and operate their own recycling plants. Knowledge is shared, not hoarded. Every Sun Factory is owned and run by the people who build it, creating local jobs and resilient ecosystems.
From Switzerland to Portugal, Burkina Faso to beyond — Sun Factory operates across borders. We consolidate an international development community of engineers, technicians, makers, and passionate talents united by solar energy and low-tech solutions. Currently active in Portugal, Switzerland, and expanding.
We deliberately avoid dependency on Big Tech platforms. Our documentation lives on open platforms like Wikifactory and Antenna Hub. Our tools are open source. We believe in digital sovereignty and technological independence for communities.
All plans, methods, and documentation are released under copyleft licenses (CC BY-SA, CERN OHL). This means anyone can replicate, modify, and improve our designs — as long as they share alike. Knowledge as a commons, not a commodity.
Our machines use concentrated solar thermal energy to melt plastic — no electricity, no fossil fuels. A parabolic concentrator focuses sunlight to reach the temperatures needed for injection molding. Works anywhere the sun shines.
We design for repairability, local materials, and accessible skills. No black boxes, no proprietary components. Everything can be understood, maintained, and improved by the communities who use it. Technology that serves people, not the other way around.
Where we work, create, and learn together
This residency is a shared learning space. We build, we document, we pass it on. Each day brings its own discoveries. What matters isn't following a rigid schedule, but moving forward together toward our common goals.
We open the week together. Share where we are, what we're aiming for, and collectively identify the materials and resources needed for the upcoming missions.
Take stock of what's been accomplished. Celebrate progress, identify blockers.
A quick round to sync up on the day's intentions and help each other.
📅 This residency unfolds over 7 weeks — from late June to mid-August — with a rhythm that balances building, learning, and sharing.
The team and skills behind the residency
7 weeks of building, learning, and documenting
"Understand what exists to better build what's next"
↻ Click to see details"Design solutions that fit who we are"
↻ Click to see details"Hands in the grease, we build"
↻ Click to see details"Learn from every trial to refine"
↻ Click to see details"Replicate while integrating what we've learned"
↻ Click to see details"Share what we know, create together"
↻ Click to see details"Close properly and mark the moment"
↻ Click to see detailsOpen source outputs for global replication
Operational and documented, ready to recycle
Guides, plans, tutorials for replication
Local team autonomous to continue
Concrete proof of machines' potential