Design a forge for your school - Remixed

Is there a place at your school for students and staff to shape metal? Can you imagine a good place for a forge to go, and how it would appear?

What types of features will the forge need?

Think About

• Which location on campus maximises output, while balancing safety? 
• Who will use the forge? When? How?
• What types of materials will the forge accommodate?
• Will it be useful for the forge to be close to other fabrication, design, or research activity/facitlity?

Try This

• Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photograph of your school.  Mark the options  on the aerial photograph.  
• Interview the school business manager, teachers, students, and grounds managers and ask them their opinions about the potential of a forge available at school.  How would it impact learning and making?
• Interview several classmates about where they think would be a good location for a new forge.
• Walk around the exterior of your school and take photos of possible locations for the new forge.
• Research comparable projects in school and/or maker space settings.

Try This

• Identify a location for your new forge.  Mark this on the aerial photograph.  Where will it be located? You decide.  
• What factors contribute to your decision?   
• Using a tape measure and some masking tape, mark out the maximize size for the forge on the floor of your classroom.  Mark the maximum height of the forge in masking tape along the wall of your classroom.  This full-scale outline will help you understand the size of the object you are trying to design.
• Make lots of sketches to get your early ideas down on paper.  Learn from each different idea. 
• Brainstorm a list of special features you’d like the forge to have. 
• Consider what materials the stand will be made from.  What materials will be durable?

Try This

• If possible, use cardboard or cardstock to build a rough physical study model or prototype of your forge. You can't really understand the stand's shape 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 or fusion 360.

Congratulations on developing a final design! Use this step to upload the best drawings, screen captures, photos, etc. of your design. You want to be sure to pick images that show interesting details and help your viewer understand the space. 

For example, make sure you have a few images that help us understand things like where your forge is located around the school and what it looks like from the student's perspective.

Don't forget to get feedback from others in your class or on DiscoverDesign, and teachers and mentors. Feedback is an important step of the design process to help you create the best design for the challenge.

Keep designing!