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Sophie's Safe House

By S.J. | XL Design a Maker's School

Welcome Maker Faire friends!

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flickr.com/photos/edublogger Some rights reserved by Ewan McIntosh.

A school? That boring building where you spend most of your day? Most schools aren't designed for students today. In fact, the design of schools hasn't changed much since the days of your grandparents!

But in the School of the Future things could be different. Reimagine the design of a 21st school. A whole school where you are inspired to MAKE!

Let’s get started on the challenge to design a school for Makers.

Design Inspirations

Here's a collection of cool images that might inspire your ideas for the Maker Faire design challenges.

What else?

These innovative designs might also challenge your thinking.

Project #2

Curious about the instructions for this Maker Faire School of the Future challenge? >>

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flickr.com/photos/menlophoto © All rights reserved by Menlo Photo Bank.

In this Collect Info step of the design process, you try to gather some information about environments for learning. Think about the existing problems with your current school facilities.

Try This

  • Make a list of all the things you would like to do in a maker school. How many people will be there with you? If you've logged in to DiscoverDesign and started this project, write this list of items in the text box for your project.
  • Make another list of all the things you love or hate about your current school and why. If you've logged in to DiscoverDesign and started this project, write this list in the text box provided. 
  • Search on Flickr.com for whole schools or parts of schools, like classrooms, labs and other learning environments. Try to find a photo or two that looks most similar to the school you want to create.
  • Save copies of these images and post them in the slides for your project. Include a hyperlink to the Flickr photo in the caption, to credit the photographer.

Discover Color

This colorful collection of images might inspire the colors you use in your design challenge.

S.J.'s work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
An orphanage is a place where children go when they are put up for adoption, or are orphans. These children need a loving home, and sometimes there is no where to go.
Orphanages currently are packed with kids. Its not very health, and can result in diseases...
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some orphanages are very dirty. This effects the health of the children living inside of the...
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Orphanages are very important. They help children in need. These orphanages are a wonderful idea,...
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Curious about the instructions for this Maker Faire School of the Future design challenge? >>

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flickr.com/photos/elijahporter © All rights reserved by Elijah Porter.

What inspires you? In the Brainstorm Ideas step of the design process, you might gather some early big ideas of things that inspire you when thinking about a school for makers.

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  • Schools aren't the only places where learning takes place. Search on Flickr.com for different types of places where you learn. How can you be inspired by ideas of these other spaces, including those in nature?
  • What kind of atmosphere supports creativity and innovation? Find images of creative atmospheres, both inside and outside. How will you create similar conditions in your school? 
  • Think about your list of activities that you and your maker buddies will do. (You made this list in the Collect Info step.) What spaces will be needed in your new maker school to support all these activities? Make a list of these spaces. 
  • Save copies of the images you find, and post them in the slides for your project. Include a hyperlink to the Flickr photo in the caption, to credit the photographer.

Cool Schools - Interiors

Here are some of the coolest interiors of schools around the world. The images might inspire your school of the future!

Cool Schools - Exteriors

Here are some of the coolest exteriors of schools around the world. The images might inspire your school of the future!

S.J.'s work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
Because I am doing an orphanage, its important that it is safe, but is still fun and happy for all the children in it.
This will be the kitchen, just bigger and a little bit warmer.
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This is the style of bedroom that will be in the Safe House. Depending on the age and gender the...
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This is what the bathrooms will look like. Each cubical will include a shower, toilet, and counter...
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This would be the adoption room where parents can meet the children they are adopting.
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This will be the library, but at the bottom it will include multiple pillows blankets, comfortable...
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This rock climbing area will be another room for the kids to play around in.
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This is around the same look as the indoor pool will be. It will be bigger, and more kid-friendly.
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Curious about the instructions for this Maker Faire School of the Future design challenge? >>

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flickr.com/photos/2020liverpoolarchitecture © All rights reserved by 2020 Liverpool Architecture.

In the Develop Solutions step, your rough ideas come together with drawings or models that can show others your solutions for the layout of a new school for makers.

Try This

  • Think about your list of spaces needed in your new maker school. Use words to describe these spaces. How big are they?
  • Use the school layout template provided for you in Google SketchUp to create a rough layout of your new DIY facility.  You can modify this layout in any way you'd like! Your new school doesn't need to include plain, square spaces.
  • Draw and arrange the spaces to support your maker activities.  Be sure to include ways to get to all of your spaces.
  • Export an image of your new maker school layout from your Google SketchUp model. To do this:

     a) In Google SketchUp, go to 'File' > 'Export' > '2D graphic'
     b) From this drop down list, change the export type to JPG
     c) Save as a JPG file and post the images in the slides for your project

Makers Reuse

A collection of interesting objects that were created for one reason and now are reused for an entirely different purpose.

Makers Sustain

A collection of green places and sustainable learning spaces.

S.J.'s work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
I finished my Orphanage and it will be placed around North America.

Curious about the instructions for this Maker Faire School of the Future design challenge? >>

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flickr.com/photos/eriksimages Some rights reserved by Arjen Stilklik.

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

Try This

  • Draw your maker school layout in 3D.  What does the building look like from the outside?
  • Include some human figures and trees in your final model, so we can see how big your school really is.
  • Export an image of your new maker school design from your Google SketchUp model. To do this:

       a) In Google SketchUp, go to 'File' > 'Export' > '2D graphic'
       b) From this drop down list, change the export type to JPG
       c) Save as a JPG file and post the images in the slides for your project

  • Upload additional images of your finished maker lab model to the slides for your project.  Write short captions explaining your ideas.

Our favorite Maker Faire projects

We've collected a gallery of our favorite Maker Faire projects from the past few years.

S.J.'s work for the Final Design step:

The student did not provide any content for this step.

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