Shoe Box Shelf

Final Action Project in the RPG-2 course. What are we assigned? We're building something for the new space in GCE! While it was difficult to determine what exactly I could build in the new space, I decided that it would be best to build a shelf like structure. Then it was a simple matter of downscaling the size to something I could feasibly make. Hence, why I used shoeboxes.

Just right here you can go to the Intractable link that details how you can make it. In case you aren't familiar with intractable, it's essentially a site where you can share not only your creations, but instructions on how to make them too. The time lapsed video shown was 38 seconds, and that was at a 30fps rate. Since the time lapse takes 2 pictures every second, that means that we can do 38sec x 30fps to get double the original time (so dividing the answer by 2 gives the original time), which was 570 seconds total. I was slightly inspired by this Ikea hack as it had the same principle of box structures being together to create a shelf. Now as of the tools I used, leverage assisted my use the scissors as the bolt in scissors is like a fulcrum, even though only torque is applied (the twisting force).

If you want to know exactly everything I used to make it yourself here's a simple list:

• Cardboard boxes
• Scissors
• Tape (electrical or duct)
• wood working glue (Elmer's to be specific) 

On a side note, I felt that I had slight inspiration (design aside) from one of our Field Experiences to the Rebuilding Exchange. You can check out their site and it's good to note that during this FE, I found myself being captured by what our guide had to say about his life, "Surrounded by trash" claiming that living on the SouthSide of Chicago, the trash was practically following him, even after moving (as his new apartment was right next to a land fill). That inspired me to think, "What if we can make this trash useful?"

With that, I hope you enjoyed reading and may create this yourself!

Perfect Pencil: Better than it is?

Elective term is wrapping up, and with this final Action Project of the Biomimicry class, we're creating better versions of the best. Unique and eco-friendly, that was the goal; reinventing what we commonly use. I decided a pencil would be best since it's literally what I have the most experience with, and it's relevant to my passion with art. Though it was difficult to find a way to improve the pencil, I thought that a unique concept that would benefit the environment, and the environment only... Going through the research, I actually found that modern day pencils are just about as good as it gets. Despite the challenge, I was proud of my unique concept and it while it wouldn't improve off of the pencil in every fashion, I feel that my cardboard mechanical pencil is the best for the environment. Just navigate the slideshow below to view the presentation!

A Board fit for a King

Most Important Chess Piece, VG, 2015

The second Action Project in the RPG (2. RPG-2; as it's the second one of the 2 classes, opening up more spots without crowding the class) class has come from just around the corner. This math and design course threw at us the challenge of creating chess pieces, as they would be created with 3D models of layered cardboard, clay, and even 3D printed. We were partnered up after picking a piece and if you're interested in seeing my partner's blogged project, just click the link. In terms of challenges, it was difficult to make the designs just right but I'm actually quite proud of how clean the 3D printed model of my king looks. Without further ado, just below you can see the full slideshow presentation of the process, size calculation, and even thought process of how the king was created.

Habitastic Home

Biomimicry has its second Action Project out of the blue. This time, we are to base a design of a house inspired by 2 animals that were chosen from a Field Experience to the Lincoln Park Zoo. There was a great challenge in this, and for me, that was deciding which animals to choose and how their attributes would be used. An ostrich, sea lion, and a tiger were the options, but what kind of traits would such mobile creatures have that enhances a habitat, a house, a home. Overall, I was proud by my creative decision mainly based off the ostrich, and you can check the poster-presentation just below. I hope you enjoy.

The Process of Prototyping

In the second course this new term, there's Rapid Prototyping, a class that's mainly math and how we can use mathematics to our advantage in prototyping and design. We learned several concepts, mainly what a network is and how a traversable network must work. A network is  series of connected vertices, or corner points. If it's traversable, that means that it must either have only 2 odd vertices, with the rest being even (odd or even number of lines shooting out of that corner), or no odd and only even. Moving on about the first Action Project, we made 2 pairs of designs based off of 2 letter of our choosing. Incidentally, because of a couple of absences, I had both lower case letters "e" and "t". The designs would be made twice, once by hand, and a second time using a digital machine. I was proud of the result of my stencil and sticker (handmade) because aside from long waiting times for the spray paint to dry, they where clean and precise cuts. Just below, you may view the slideshow that tells you everything about what it's like to make something and the different experiences to have between hand made and machine helped.

Animal Repelling Rose?

As the next term begins for the winter, I'll be kicking things off in here with the first Action Project for the Biomimicry course. Biomimicry is a science course that focuses around the idea of using planets for inspiration in engineering and inventing. There were certain challenges throughout this course that incidentally didn't actually come from the course. Ailments that had me out on a couple of sick days pulled me back a lot as it was around the time of introducing the Action Projects, so catching up was tough. That said, just below, you can see a presentation that goes in depth about how a rose inspired me to use it's blueprints (the way that it works, rather than the actual parts) to create an all natural animal repellant, transportable post. It's a camper's best friend!