DiscoverDesign.org is produced by the

M&M

By Maxwell Baity | S Design a new school locker

Overview Instructions

Show Hide

That thin metal box at school where you cram all your stuff? Lockers aren't designed for students today. In fact, the design of lockers hasn't changed since the days of your great grandparents!

But in the School of the Future things could be different. Reimagine the design of a 21st century locker you would need as a Maker. A locker you could use to keep all of your stuff for making!

Let's get started on the challenge to redesign your school locker.

Me and Mack decided to make two small lockers into one. It would be 52x10 for the measurements. You will have 3 different ways to unlock your locker. It would be eiter the original lock, a touch screen, or a custome design key lock. Which ever one the person desires. Inside the locker at the way bottom would be your own mini fridge so your lunch will never get warm again. In the middle there would be enough room for your jackets/hoodies. On top would be the shelves and one would be big enough for your gym bag cause we never have room for your bag and the other room would be fo your books and what not. the back of the locker would be magnetic to put a board or a mirror. It can also show you your schedule and tell you if it's A day or B day.

Collect Instructions

Show Hide

Gather more information about your existing school lockers by taking photos, sketching, conducting interviews, or doing additional research.

Think About

  • What is the purpose of a school locker?
  • How has the way you use a locker changed since you first started school in kindergarten, for example?
  • How many times do you visit and open your locker each day?
  • Do teachers or school administrators have any safety or security concerns about lockers?  What are they?
  • What types of materials is your locker constructed from?

Try This

  • Take photos of a row of your school's lockers.  Open your own locker and take a photo of what's stored inside.
  • Make a list of all the features your locker currently has. (Examples: hooks, air slots, etc.)
  • Make a list of all the items you currently keep in your locker on a typical day.
  • Next to each item, make notes about what 'needs' that item has.  (Examples: my sweaty gym clothes need to kept away from my other things; my iPod needs electricity to be charged; my winter boots need a place to drip dry)
  • Make a list of all the items you wish you could store in your locker, but don’t have room for.
  • Measure the length, height, and depth of your current locker.
  • Measure the length, height, and depth of your backpack, books, coat / shoes, and other large objects you typically keep inside your locker.
  • Measure the width of your school's hallway.  How much of this width is taken up on both sides of the hallway when students stand in front of their open lockers?
  • Read this Washington Post article to learn more about some of the complaints students have with their lockers today.
  • Visit the websites of a few manufacturers to see various types of lockers currently made.  What do you like or dislike about these examples?

Maxwell Baity's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
At least 22 inches wide, 52 inches tall, and 22 inches deep. The width of the school hallway is 14 feet.
A small, usually metal compartment that can be locked, especially one at a gymnasium or public...
0 comments
when you first had one it was cool, but really never used it cause you didn't have books for...
0 comments
I go about four times to switch books for class then at the end of the day I get what I need for...
0 comments
The only concern is people breaking and entering into locker so what they want you to do is...
0 comments

Brainstorm Instructions

Show Hide

Develop sketches or models to help you puzzle through new ideas and solutions.

Think About

  • Make a list of all the things you like about your current locker.  Ask several friends for their opinions.
  • Make a list of all the things you dislike about your current locker.  Ask several friends for their opinions.
  • Think about your locker not just as a metal box, but as another type of container.  What other types of containers do you use each day to store stuff?  (Examples: containers for food, clothing, household items)
  • Many animals, insects, and plants use containers to store things (Example: bees use honeycombs).  Check out some of the images in the Inspiration Gallery for other ideas of strorage units.
  • Keep in mind that your newly-designed locker will be one of many along the hallway.  How will these individual units all fit together?  How will several students use their lockers at the same time without bumping into each other?

Try This

  • Based on the information you collected above, brainstorm a list of special features you’d like your new locker to have.
  • Make lots of sketches to get your early ideas down on paper.  Learn from each different idea. 
  • Consider what materials the locker will be made from.  What materials will be durable against the wear and tear of student use over the years?

Maxwell Baity's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
The way we came up with ideas is that we took what we liked in our lives and tried to integrate it with our locker.
Our first idea is to install a mini fridge at the bottom of the inside of the locker. We had this...
0 comments
another one is our locker will let you charge your phone if you just place your phone on it.
0 comments
it is also a 3 in 1 with the lock. you can either choose from the original spin lock or a touch pad...
0 comments
sketch of our locker
0 comments

Develop Instructions

Show Hide

Now's the time to take what you've learned from the steps above and develop your own solution for a new locker.

Try This

  • Use recycled cardboard to make a full-scale or half-scale prototype model of your locker.  You can't really understand if the locker will hold all your stuff, until you make a quick study model.  Don't worry about making a fancy finished model at this time. Instead, use cardstock, scissors, and tape to quickly create the large 3D form. See how it looks. Break off different sections, add new pieces, and try new ideas. Take photos of your model.
  • Sketch or use software such as Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, or Revit to put your ideas on paper.

Maxwell Baity's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
we sketch out our design out of a shoe box and a little bit of cardboard
our shoe box
0 comments

Final Instructions

Show Hide

The final step of the design process is to create a more finished model that communicates your ideas to others.

Try This

  • What color or colors will your locker be? What colors have inspired you?  Add colors to the digital model of your locker.
  • What materials will your locker be made of?  Choose materials and details to add to your digital model.
  • Include a human figure in your final locker model, so we can see how big your locker really is.
  • Upload additional images of your finished locker model to the slides for your project.  Write short captions explaining your ideas.
  • Congratulations on solving this design challenge!

Maxwell Baity's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
our final design
0 comments

Earn Skill Badges

Click here to learn more!

Twitter Feed