设计概要是受Barnes & Noble书店委托设计一把椅子，鼓励一年级学生花更多时间阅读。 每把椅子都必须结合一年级学生的具体需求，并在他们喜欢的阅读位置上支持学生的人体工程学和人体测量学，同时也反映了贝博体育创造者课程的设计理念，即要求设计实用、美观、功能和可持续。

 

为了收集设计所需的信息和反馈，每个九年级的设计学生与一年级的客户会面三次。 第一次会面是设计师与客户的访谈，以收集有关阅读习惯、首选阅读位置和要求的设计元素的细节。 一些一年级学生表示，他们喜欢躺着阅读； 还有人想要额外的功能，比如扶手或杯架； 有些人还想装一个书架，这样他们就可以免提阅读了。

 

在这次会议上，九年级的学生们还测量了椅子的尺寸，以确保椅子的尺寸合适，并与他们的客户一起勾勒出设计的草图，以获得初步的设计感觉。 一年级学生并不羞于分享他们的好恶和大想法。 “First graders have infinite imaginations,” notes ninth grader HP. “In fact, I'd call them an idea gold mine!" HP’s clients, Courtney and Amaia, were both strongly drawn to the idea of a spherical chair that they could sit inside. This created a design challenge for HP, who would be creating the final chair out of cardboard, a material that doesn’t lend itself to curves. 但他的客户坚持要这么做。 “They pushed me to continue with this idea, which ultimately led to a unique chair design.”

 

For the second meeting, the ninth graders brought a 1:10 scale model of the chair’s initial design, and the first graders brought a 1:10 scale model of themselves to place in the chair. 在美术课上，一年级学生与小学美术老师Cathy Gruetzke-Blais合作，用粘土或烟斗清洁剂制作灵活的比例模型。 把模型放在椅子上可以让一年级学生想象自己坐在最终的设计中，并给他们一种评估和表达他们对设计的意见的方法。 “They were tough and honest clients,” notes David Dixon. “Our designers had to listen to the clients’ wishes and opinions, and at times it was quite humbling to have a first grader tell them that they had to change the design.”

 

当生产出全尺寸的零件时，学生们将他们的设计转移到CAD程序中，并将文件发送给WebsterOneSource，这是一家位于马萨诸塞州汉森的印刷、营销和物流公司。 WebsterOneSource将设计直接导入到他们的CNC切割工具中，为每个设计切割出单独的纸板，平面包装，并将它们交付给贝博体育app进行最终组装。 “WebsterOneSource and President Ernie Foster were amazingly supportive of the project to the point of incredible generosity,” notes David.

 

设计师使用名为Makedo的纸板建筑系统中的工具将单个部件组装并固定在一起。 Makedo部分将几层纸板固定在一起，形成一个由角支架、柱子和骨头组成的支撑系统。 在组装过程中，设计师们不断地测试和修改他们的设计，以确保成品坚固、安全、美观。

 

组装好的椅子在马萨诸塞州米尔伯里的巴诺书店展示了一个星期后，这些椅子被交给一年级的学生们检查和盖章。 Reflecting on the project, ninth grader Jake noted that “it showed us what real designers do every day: meeting deadlines, conferring with clients, and constructing models. My clients were a big help in the process because I knew that I was constructing a chair that someone will actually be using every day.”