Design & Build Portable Shelter for Ann Arbor’s Camp Take Notice
Academic Year:
2012 - 2013 (June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013)
Funding Requested:
$489.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
Overview of the Project:
This CRLT grant helped to facilitate a human centered design engagement course with Camp Take Notice - a community of homeless people in Ann Arbor. Camp Take Notice was evicted from its location on Wagner road before the course started. About half of the approximately 65 campers where provided temporary housing. Some of the other half was spending the nights next to two churches in Downtown Ann Arbor. Based on these events, the course had two main objectives: First, the design of portable lightweight shelter (such as extended sleeping bags) for urban downtown areas; Second, the design of large portable community shelter structures that could help to start a new camp on legal campsites that the community of CTN is looking to acquire. The CRLT grant was being used for the purchase of materials (such as corrugated card board sheets, poly traps, nylon cords, etc.) that enabled the students to quickly build 1:1 mock-ups and scale models of their shelter designs. This helped them to discuss their designs with the homeless individuals, which were invited to class. In addition, these materials were being used for skill building workshops.