http://www.tools-at-schools.com
Our 8th graders worked with designers from aruliden and Bernhardt to learn about the design process and “the value of design as a problem-solving tool.” Students were divided into groups to redesign the chair, desk, and locker. Integrating research, art, science, and math, students researched what’s out there, interviewed a variety of people, mapped out their ideas, crafted 3D models, and formally presented their findings thorughout the unit.
Rinat Aruh and Johan Liden of aruliden and Jerry Helling of Bernhard conceived and built full-size prototypes of a desk, chair, and locker that incorporated the kids’ ideas and dreams. These prototypes will be on display at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this weekend and at the Museum of Arts and Design in the coming months!
Watch the gorgeous videos aruliden put together to document the project here: http://tools-at-schools.com/project.html
Similarly, below is Emily Pilloton’s TED Talk about teaching “design for change”:
http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf
Karen Blumberg 