Our final Saturday session was our biggest make yet. After many months together and participating in many workshops we challenged the group to create life sized personal shelters!
Thinking about the sort of shelter which a person could carry and set up anywhere to protect them from the weather, then pack away and take onto their next location.
We gave each group a ‘budget’ to work to, incentivised money saving, and set up a shop so they had to put in an order and purchase the necessary construction materials. We also included a section of previously used materials for which we offered a 50% discount. Reusing materials for the win!
After some initial activities to warm up by thinking about construction of different shapes and with different materials we set the main challenge. Groups then drafted their initial designs, and some made prototypes. Then the big construction got started. From a tube which squashed down like an accordion to a backpack which unfolded to reveal a sleeping space! Designs included triangle tents, soft cylinders, hardshell boxes and a complex origami shell. All very impressive.
Within the space of one day our groups designed and made 4 shelters before presenting them back to each other. To keep things lively we ran a gentle competition which revealed two winners… congratulations to Team Alfred and Team Lawsuits (you’ll have to guess the significance of the names).
But all four groups did amazingly well. We’re so pleased and proud to congratulate them on completing the PLACED Academy.
Huge thank you to our volunteers for the day for their support.