DiscoverDesign.org is produced by the

my pocket park

By BK1853 | 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.

My pocket park will be located in the Humboldt park area. There is Humboldt park in the area but the purpose of this pocket park is not for younger ages, it is more for families or elders in general. The reason is that Humboldt park already has the purpose for younger ages, this way elders can enjoy the pocket park.

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?

BK1853's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
Since my pocket park will not be for younger ages, it will not have swings or anything that is material for a child.
one thing that i want in my pocket park it's a big amount of shade. In order to obtain this...
0 comments
For sitting this is the type of bench i would like.
0 comments
for families i would have this table. The table would be stuck in the ground.
0 comments
I want to make the park a bit more than basic so I will probably place maple tress in there.
0 comments
one thing i need in the park is a water source. This will be there in order for the people to have...
0 comments
This will be my lot for the pocket park.
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?

BK1853's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
to start i will just sketch.
one idea that i have is have a fountain. This fountain will have rocks and the water will run down...
0 comments
i will have a classic bench, like i mentioned before, but i also want to be a bit more creative so...
0 comments
In the middle of the park i would like to have a small bridge, but under the bridge i want to have...
0 comments
Since i want the park to be, bright at night and full of light, i want to put clear lights around...
0 comments
One thing that i will have for sure is a fence around the park.
0 comments
one thing that am thinking is to place speakers in the park to play music. The music will not be...
0 comments
since it is a park we cannot forget a garden.
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.

BK1853's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
I will start designing an idea on sketchUp. This will give me a better idea of how my pocket park will look.
This will be my pocket park site. It is an idea of how it is going to be set up.
1 comment
I will be using black fences all around the park. This are the fences am planing on using.
0 comments
These maple tress are what i was looking for. Most likely these will be used.
0 comments
This will be used as a bench. There will be changes to it.
0 comments
This is part of the fountain. It is not finished yet.
0 comments
I also decided to add some of these.
0 comments
This is a table that am probably going to use.
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!

BK1853's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
This is my pocket park It is the final draft.

Earn Skill Badges

Click here to learn more!

Recent Activity

See All Activity

Twitter Feed