Maker Faire prep is coming along. While the Creativity Lab staff is hard at work getting t-shirts ordered and schedules planned (and more—trust me, there’s quite a bit of work involved), students are working to get their projects wrapped up. I’m dedicating the next few weeks to previewing some of the projects that students will be showing off at Maker Faire.
Project: Dog House
Makers: Michael Z., Ulises Z., Omar d.
A friend of theirs needed a dog house, so these guys took it upon themselves to build one. It started with a cardboard prototype several months ago (actually, a few cardboard prototypes), before they switched to plywood.
Early models included a ramp to a second story, and a small bird house on top.
Since then, it seems they’ve gone for the more traditional look: A-frame roof with a square door (no second story). Their updated design let them use a single sheet of plywood.
They did hit some obstacles getting their measurements perfect when they cut their wood, so they’ve had to shrink their house a bit—but it looks like they’ve done a good job with their woodworking, overall. Right now they are painting the inside of the house before attaching the sides, and they say they’ve done research on what color Yorke’s like (so they’re going with orange).
At the moment, there aren’t any electronic components to this project, which is fine, but I’m wondering if, even after the Faire is done, we can’t get them to push their design even further. I think this is a great opportunity for a design thinking routine.
About
David is the documentarian and professional development coordinator for the Creativity Lab. In 2014, he received a BA in creative writing from Louisiana State University, with focuses on short fiction and screenwriting. In partnering with New Orleans-based independent film company, Asymptote Pictures, his work has been featured in film festivals across the country. He likes his espresso maker, and vegetarian tacos.
