What started as my senior thesis for Industrial Design grew into a global community of teachers, students, and makers, a using the WikiSeat platform for hands-on lessons in the classroom.
My role has ranged from designer and maker to website developer and public speaker. I love helping people learn more about the built environment, and how to shape that environment.
It is a pretty simple concept in principle. But there are no instructions for deciding which material material to use for the legs, nor the best method to attach the seat.
Students are free to explore their local environment to find materials, and ask their community for help with construction. Every WikiSeat is a truly unique creation, a reflection of the creators environment and ideas.
A wide range of different seats have been built by different students.
This project has helped make classroom learning tangible, and helped spark a passion for learning in students.
There is a wide range of classrooms around the world using WikiSeat, from Kindergarten through college grad classes. And I'm constantly surprised at how teachers can make futniture making relevant to their subject.
Sean Wheeler was the first teacher to bring WikiSeat into his classroom. He used it to help his American Lit students explore the writings of Henry David Thoreau. Since then, it has been applied to teaching everything from business and history to math and science. Who knew furniture making could be so adaptable and enriching?
WikiSeat has been featured on BoingBoing, Good Magazine, and we won two Editors Choice awards at Maker Faire.
If you want to make your own WikiSeat, or if you want to bring this to a classroom near you, visit www.wikiseat.org to learn more. Or feel free to contact me.
Translating research into tangible objects and bringing it to life through interactive conference experiences.
Bringing research to life at a client conference through interactive experience.
Everyday objects from the year 2034, a time when augmented animals have teamed up with AI to dominate global markets.
