WikiSeat

Open source furniture design brings maker-education to the classroom
8 Years
April 2010- November 2018
pencil
Medium
Welding, Online Hub for Global Community built with Wikimedia / Wordpress
My Role
Founder, Maker

Project Brief

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.

The Catalyst

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.

Every WikiSeat is a truly unique creation, a reflection of the creators environment and ideas.

The WikiSeat

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.

Global Community

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. Additionally, it has been used to teach business and history in addition to math and science. Who know furniture making was so versatile!

WikiSeat has been featured on BoingBoing, Good Magazine, and we won two Editors Choice awards at Maker Faire.

Want to make a Wikiseat?

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.