Create a blog post that illustrates your favorite chair and explains why it is your favorite.

Steps:
Read previous blog post with vocabulary terms for this design challenge.
Select your favorite chair
Take a picture of you in the chair
Upload the picture
Write a statement explaining why this is your favorite chair. Use the vocabulary in the previous post ( accurately!!).

Cardboard Chair Challenge

OVERVIEW

Corrugated cardboard, made from a natural renewable resource, has one of the best environmental records. In 2002, more than 23 million tons of corrugated cardboard were recovered and recycled in the US – that is 74% of all cardboard produced in the same year. Cardboard has the best recycling rate of any packaging material used today. A hard look at every scrap of cardboard can lead the creative mind to see it as a valuable raw material. This is your opportunity to discover the potential of corrugated cardboard.

Design a chair! This activity asks students to design and build a full-sized chair from corrugated cardboard. The chair must support a pre-determined weight that is selected by the team for at least 5 minutes. The person seated will be in a “comfortable” position with his / her back leaning against the back of the chair. Students will get an opportunity to learn about paper and cardboard as a building material and the statics and dynamics of structures. This design competition is designed to encourage and reward excellence in design that integrates function (does the chair work); aesthetics (is it pleasing to the eye); ergonomics (is it comfortable for the average person); details (are my drawings and actual construction accurate); and fun.

COMPETITION COMPONENTS

1. Form & Function of the chair (comfort & aesthetics) 25 pts.

2. Presentation of the Solution (academic display / presentation drawings) 50 pts.

3. Structural Integrity of the Chair (strength) 25 pts.*

*Your weight divided by the weight of your chair equals a strength design factor. High numbers are best.


SCORING SUMMARY

Final team rankings will be based on the total score from the competition components. A maximum of 100 points are available. In the case of a tie, the team with the lighter chair will be declared the winner.

Final team rankings will be based on the total score by adding all of the component scores.


MATERIALS

1. Untreated corrugated cardboard

2. Box cutters

3. Metal rulers, Scissors

4. Adhesive of team’s choice

RULES FOR CONSTRUCTION

1. The chair must have a seat and a back.

2. No non-cardboard mechanical fasteners will be permitted.

3. No adhesives of any kind

4. The seat of the chair must be at least 16” from the floor (measured to the bottom of the seat).

5. The top of the back must be no less than 30” from the floor.

6. If any of the above criteria are not met, your design will be automatically disqualified.

TESTING CONDITIONS

1. Each chair will be weighed and the weight will be recorded.

2. Each team should identify a “tester” prior to arriving to the competition. This person will be weighed and the weight will be used in the structural integrity formula to determine the chair’s efficiency.

3. The tester will carefully sit in the designed chair; as previously tested. The weight distribution on the chair should be a design issue for each team.

4. Once the “tester” is comfortably seated in the chair, the timer will begin. If the chair withstands the allotted time, your chair is then compared by the weight.

5. “Comfortably” seated is defined as the tester being seated in the chair and leaning against the back of the chair and resting. There will be no sudden forces acting on the chair; just one constant force and weight throughout the five minutes.

6. The chair with the highest efficiency will receive the maximum 25 points. The chair with the second highest efficiency will receive 20 points. The chair with the third highest efficiency will receive 15 points. This pattern will continue until 0 points is reached or all of the chairs have been evaluated.

7. Any chair that is not successful will not receive any points for the function category.


JUDGING

1. A team of judges will conduct individual evaluations of the designed chairs.

These individual scores will be averaged to determine the overall winner.

ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE JUDGES ARE FINAL.

 
Suggestions

The suggested order of procedure is as follows:

a. Research – see what others have done relative to similar contests such as using the Internet, library, local bookstores, or furniture stores.

            http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/recycled-cardboard-chairs-student-designers.php

b. Design sketches – prepare sketches of some possible design ideas of a chair of your own design.

c. Drawings – prepare dimensioned working drawings from your design sketches that will allow you to construct a model from the plans you prepare.

d. Model – prepare a prototype model made completely out of cardboard and fixatives as per allowed in this competition.

e. Test – conduct some tests to see how well your prototype conforms to the design requirements of this competition.

Cardboard Chair Academic Display (25 points)

Objective

Teams will present their chairs and relevant aspects of the design project in a display format. The focus of the display is to highlight the design process of each team.

Components of the Display

Abstract

A brief synopsis of the project in 250 words or less must be part of the display. It should state the purpose and the most important features of the students’ research, the main conclusions and recommendations. It should be written in informative, non-technical terms and be interesting to the reader.

Scientific Explanations

An explanation of the team’s approach to address the scientific forces acting on the chair should be included. In addition, to identify with the theme, the team should discuss the environmental impact of using recycled corrugated cardboard.

Drawings / Graphics

Each display board should include an orthographic drawing of the designed chair (top, front, and side views). This drawing should include dimensions and a specified scale. The drawings on the display and the actual chair should be accurate when the project is complete.

The Design Process

Photographs, tables, processes, etc should be included that demonstrate the team going through the design process. The design process includes: identifying the problem, the design brief, research the problem, brainstorm / develop solutions, choose the best solution, modeling & prototyping, testing & evaluating, manufacturing, and redesigning.

Criteria for Evaluation

Clarity of Abstract (6 pts)

Scientific Explanations (6 pts)

Accuracy and presentation of orthographic drawings (6 points)

Organization (4 pts)

Creativity and Overall Presentation (3 pts).

Cardboard Chair Oral Presentation (25 points)

Objective

Each participating team will make an oral presentation about their engineering design project to the class. After the presentation, teams will be asked questions by the judge(s).

Presentation Guidelines

1. Teams will have a maximum of five (5) minutes to make an oral presentation of their project to the class.

2. All team members must be present and orally contribute to the presentation.

3. Props, models, charts, graphs, and visual aids are allowed. Costumes are not allowed.

4. Due to time constraints, electronic presentations will not be permitted (i.e., laptops, PowerPoint, Internet)

5. The presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer period conducted by the

Judge(s). These questions will be brief and to the point and solely to ascertain student knowledge of the project.

6. Students are discouraged from reading directly from a sheet of paper.

Presentation Highlights

Students should discuss and describe the following topics:

             The design process used in designing and constructing chair

            How they addressed the scientific forces acting on the chair

Any research or knowledge gained about recycling materials

Recommendations and conclusions

Criteria for Evaluation

Effective and clear description of specific design process 6 pts

Effective and clear description of how addressed the various forces 5 pts

Demonstrated gained knowledge of environmental issues and relationship to this project 5 pts

Conclusion and recommendations 5 pts

Delivery/Demeanor 4 pts

THE MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE  


The RULES

1.          ✦Build the Tallest Freestanding Structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the tabletop surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling, or chandelier.

2.          ✦The Entire Marshmallow Must Be On Top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.

3.          3. ✦Use as Much or as Little of the Kit: Team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks, as much or as little of the string or tape. The team cannot use the paper bag as part of its structure.

4.          ✦Break up the Spaghetti, String or Tape: Teams are free to break the spaghetti and to cut up the tape and string to create new structures.

5.          ✦The Challenge Lasts 18 minutes: Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.

http://marshmallowchallenge.com/TED_Talk.html

http://marshmallowchallenge.com/Instructions_files/TED2010_Tom_Wujec_Marshmallow_Challenge_Web_Version.pdf

This is a busy week and all of the assignments are listed on the blog so please refer to it daily. You need to complete the following assignments for Friday:

1. Check and edit your weebly site so that it is correct, organized and free of spelling and grammar errors. Ask a classmate to read it and check for errors as well.

2. Read and watch post " How to use a scale ruler"

3. Sign up for Discover Den and check it out. We will be using this site as a resource so become familiar with the site. Email me your username

4. Watch TED talk on Charles and Ray Eames

5. Complete Blog assignment on Eames

6. Check out "SketchChair" and complete assignment

7. Read and complete assignment " What is Design"

**Homework Due Monday, December 17
Write a blog post reviewing the 123D design app that you used. Please post what you created and give your opinion of the app.

Assignment:
Read the following article about design. Write a blog post responding to the article.
DESIGN IS A NOUN
Unless you live in the wilderness, you are a resident of a human-made environment. Everywhere you look, you can find something that is designed. From the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, you are sure to encounter design in your everyday life. We are surrounded by design, whether it be objects, spaces, landscapes and streetscapes, or communications or transportation systems.

Design is not an instantaneous act or event. Sidewalks and streets do not fall from the sky and land in their proper places. Our toothbrushes do not magically appear in our hands when we need them. Someone is responsible for all the things we consume, use, and interact with everyday. Every moment, we encounter a set of solutions to a problem that has been considered by someone.

In your sketchbook write “Design is” at the top. Next, look around the classroom and make note of all the different examples of design that they see.  Write each one of these examples down. These could be desks, chairs, books, posters, and clothing, for example. 

Books are an example of graphic design, while computers and pencils are considered industrial design. You could broaden this exploration to the design of the classroom, which is interior design, or the school building itself, which is architecture.

DESIGN IS A VERB
“Design” does not only refer to places and things; it is also the process of planning, evaluating, and implementing a plan or solution to a problem. Designers often start with a problem: For example, a school that needs sturdy, affordable chairs for students. The first step in the design process is a brainstorm of possible solutions. This brainstorm could take the form of words, sketches, or even photographs that articulate the designer’s ideas. Once the ideas have been expressed, the designer chooses the best solution for the problem at hand, then consults an engineer, who helps produce a sample. That sample is evaluated, sometimes through user testing, to ensure that the design solution is functionally and aesthetically viable.

• Is there value in testing an idea. Have they ever experimented with a new way of doing something?

Designers navigate between the aesthetics and functionality of an object through each and every stage of the process from concept to final product. According to designer and artist Ray Eames, “The looks good can change, but what works, works.” [Ray Eames, quoted in “The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: Furniture” (Library of Congress/Vitra Design Museum),http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/eames/furniture.html.]

• Have  you ever applied this kind of process in your life? Think of an object you consider to be an example of good design and describe it's form and function. Does the object you selected meets your needs in terms of form and function.

As consumers of everyday objects, we play an important role in the design process. Although they don’t know each and every one of us personally, designers often look to consumers to evaluate and respond to the things they create, proving their functionality. If consumers are not satisfied with the way something works, they probably won’t want to use it, and designers are keenly aware of this fact. From deciding on a new shape or color for a cell phone to how wide to make the seats on the subway, design firms rely heavily on market research and consumer input, conducting extensive research.

Each design problem or situation has a unique set of criteria that must be addressed. Identifying needs or problems, brainstorming possible solutions, testing ideas, and evaluating them are all part of the design process. In some cases an existing idea is refined and in other cases a totally new concept is created, but the processes are similar. With every year that passes, technologies of rendering and manufacturing change. Designers need to be aware of these new and emerging technologies and of how they could affect the design and production of five, five hundred, or five hundred thousand objects.

OUTLINE OF THE DESIGN PROCESS
Design Process:

Defining problems
Gathering information and research
Generating solutions
Evaluating and selecting appropriate solutions
Implementing choices
Evaluation Integration of feedback

www.moma.org/collection, for more examples of design.

Check out this video from SketchChair a company that got started on kickstart......http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/diatom/sketchchair-furniture-designed-by-you

Check out their design gallery http://www.sketchchair.cc/designs

Your assignment- Write a blog post about this company and their process. Answer the following questions:
How are they making the design process accessible to all? 

Objective:
Create a room design for a specific musician or band that is customized to their needs. 
Steps:

1. Watch the TED talk by "David Byrne : How architecture helped music evolve" http://www.ted.com/talks/david_byrne_how_architecture_helped_music_evolve.html
2. Select a musician or band that you will design a room/space for
   
3. Write a description of their music, the instruments that are used and the members of the band or solo musician. The more detailed the better, be as descriptive as possible