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Official URL: http://mazizone.eu
See also: projects | publications
MAZI, http://mazizone.eu, was a Horizon2020 CAPS project (2016-2018), which developed a DIY networking toolkit for enabling citizens to easily install and customize local wireless networks according to their own needs.
The MAZI toolkit includes a wide variety of FLOSS applications that can be deployed by anyone with basic computer skills in specific geographic locations in the city, accessible only to those inside the coverage of the network, creating a hybrid space that can be collectively designed and managed from those concerned, a MAZI Zone (btw, "mazi" means together in Greek).
NetHood was the instigator of the project and brought together the different partners through a series of interdisciplinary events and public presentations, organized since 2012. See a publication on the beginnings of the project
During the project, NetHood led the interdisciplinarity workpackage and the Zurich pilot together with INURA Zurich Institute at the Kraftwerk1 cooperative housing and living project, among other spin-off pilots in Zurich and Athens. All reports for these two activities are available for download here.
Discover more:
- An introduction to the MAZI toolkit
- Examples of Mazi Zones, real life deployments of the MAZI toolkit
- The design of a participatory course on the "Organic Internet" organized through the Openki.net platform, including reading material
- An Interview with Panayotis Antoniadis, by the Creating Commons project
Important note:
The most important step for a successful MAZI zone deployment is the clear understanding of the underlying networking concept and how the value of its functionality will be communicated to the potential users. The most frequent question is indeed: "Why is this MAZI Zone useful if Internet access is already available?"
The answer to this question is not so obvious, especially when Internet connectivity is available. A First Monday article on four different reasons why local networks are important can hopefully help you answer this question :-)