Community Garden Toolshed
designing a low cost, weather-proof, storage unit & information kiosk
Role: Researcher, Designer, Builder
Duration: 2 months
Team: Marietta Mendler | Cecilia Smith | Thomas Howe
Advisors: Donna Cohn, Associate Professor of Applied Design, Hampshire College | Ned Philips-Jones, Forrest Garden Creator, Amherst MA
Tools: white boards, cardboard, hot glue, SetchUp, wood, nails, electric screwdrivers.
Process: Interview, Ideation, SketchUp Low-Fi Prototype, Cardboard Prototype, Final Construction
Design Challenge
To create a strong storage unit for gardening supplies that also serves as a welcoming information center for a community garden.
Design Requirements
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room for all necessary gardening tools including a scythe
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sturdy enough to survive Massachusetts winters
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provide information for visitors about the Forest Garden's resources
Users
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gardeners & stewards
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students
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professors, staff & community members
Purpose
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storage for all supplies
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invite more people to the space
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display resources about pla
Context
Ned Philips-Jones created the Forest Garden, a couple years prior to this project. He needed a sturdy storage shed that could fit a variety of supplies, as well as his sythe, while not taking up too much space. There was very limited signage, so an added aspect of the shed was to make it into an information kiosk. Hopefully drawing new students and community members to the garden.
Low-Fi & Mid-Fi Design Explorations
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Whiteboard: group brainstormed product requirements and dimensions.
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SketchUp: presented digital model to stakeholders (Donna & Ned).
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Cardboard: created small scale model to finalize design mechanics.
Building The Final Design
After finalizing calculations for materials based on the models above, we cut and assembled all the necessary pieces on a Friday afternoon.
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Marietta was among the group who worked to make improvements to the Greenwich Forest Garden. In particular Marietta helped design a structure that would serve as both a tool shed and information kiosk. This was quite challenging for Marietta, who had never done any carpentry before. She worked as part of a small team, learned how to make a scale model in wood, worked in SketchUp to create a computer-generated 3D model, and then helped build the actual structure that is now in place and being used.
Donna Cohn
Design for the Greater Good, Fall 2011
Lessons Learned
The toolshed continues to stand strong in the Forest Garden, where it protects tools and displays maps and information. There is of course more work to be done, mainly aesthetic decorations. Overall, the toolshed project was a success and a great learning opportunity.