CARDBOARD

• Readily available
• Easy to manipulate
• Strong

Corrugation

CARDBOARD



Structural in one direction and bendable in the other

Bendable one direction

TOOLS

CUTTING TECHNIQUES

Cutting

Straight

Cutting

Curves

SHAPING TECHNIQUES

Shaping:

Bending

Shaping:

Faceting

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Straight

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Curve

Shaping:

Score + Bend

Shaping:

Layering

JOINERY

Joining:

Hinge

Joining:

Hinge

Joining:

Braces

Joining:

Tabs

Joining:

Tabs

Joining:

Slotting

Joining:

Slotting

Joining:

Tabs/

Notching

Joining:

Tabs/

Notching

Joining:

Butt Joint

Joining:

Brads

Joining:

Skewer

Joining:

Skewer

Joining:

Flange

Joining:

Strap

COOL CARDBOARD PROTOTYPES

Deep Sea Bots Studio

COOL CARDBOARD PROTOTYPES

Responsive Architecture Studio

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Creating a low-fidelity prototype is essential to exploring many ideas in three dimensions quickly.

Now that you've completed your brainstorming and landed on your amazing idea, it's time to dive into prototyping.

ACTIVITY MATERIALS

Cardboard

Colored Acetate

Bristol Papers

Zip-ties

Straws

Metal Ruler

Pencil 

Markers 

Cutting Blade

Masking Tape

Hot Glue Gun

String

Brads

Popsicles and wooden skewers

Step 1

Step 2

Select your final idea from your sketches, don't worry about selecting your final design, while building you will keep on iterating and changing!

You will undertake a safety orientation, where you will learn to use the basic tools of prototyping such as gluing techniques and cutting tools

**Refer to the "Safety prototyping" 

Step 3

Go over the presentation found in the "resources" tab and start making! You will make a low-fidelity prototype of your chosen design. This prototype will allow you to test your idea on your site, and actually get user feedback, and see if it creates delight.

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: SHAPING

Bending

Scoring

Curving

Faceting

Layering

Hinging

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: JOINERY

Brads

Flanges

Brace

Skewer

Bend

Hinge

Slots

Butt Joint

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: Mechanism

Gears

Scissor lift

Grabbing

Waving

Tentacle

Curving

Lever

Fanning

Students Work

~ 5min

Create a post under the Response tab that includes the following:

• Your last sketches for each idea
• Photographs of your models from two different angles.
• A photograph of your model at the site that you chose
• A description of your model.

ACTIVITY DELIVERABLES

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Present your work to the class, including your concept thesis, sketches, and low-fidelity prototype

To receive feedback that will help refine your idea and push it forward as you move into building

1st



2nd

3rd

Now that your team has developed an idea, create a presentation using the template in the following slide to share your ideas with the class.

You will present your slides to the class and take notes on suggested feedback.

Analyze your feedback and think about how to incorporate into your project.



Team Member Names

Initial Sketches

Feedback Requests

& Next Steps

1

2

3

4

5

6

SUGGESTED MID REVIEW TEMPLATE

Note: This template is a suggestion. You may add additional slides featuring images or gifs/videos of your prototypes

Inspiration

Low-Fidelity Prototype

Thank You slide

 Guide for Giving Feedback

• Feedback should never have mean intentions! You can be positive and critical at the same time.
• Be as specific as you can.
• What kind of feedback would you find helpful if it were your project? Try to give the type of feedback that you would like to receive.
• Always elaborate with WHY. Instead of just saying, "your idea is great," explain what part of their project you like and why you think it is interesting.
• Ask questions! If something doesn't make sense to you, ask a question about that part of the project or idea. This is a great method for getting someone to think about new ideas, different perspectives, and new approaches.

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

In your project group, decide on a direction, sketch your design, write your concept statement, and create a storyboard

To start making decisions about the form and function of your future transit design

Final Project Expectations

Your design will draw inspiration from futuristic projects and go beyond them to reimagine new and transformative transportation systems powered by a sustainable source

Bring your ideas to life using AI and storyboarding tools to create a compelling story that showcases how your futuristic system works, who it serves, and how it improves mobility.

Your prototype will fit within a 50x50 box and include interactivity/movement, such as electronics or a mechanical movement

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+

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ACTIVITY MATERIALS

Paper

Metal Ruler

Pencil 

Markers 

Colors

1st

2nd

3rd



4th

In your group, finalize your concept idea.

Next, students should begin to develop sketches to their final concept idea.

Once each sketch is complete, share your sketches with your instructor.

Start by looking at your sketches with your partner/ in your group. Together, decide on the main idea and form of your project. Have a draft of a project name and a draft of a project concept thesis sentence by the end of class.

Instructions

5st

Next, you will create a storyboard

Plan Your Story – Define your futuristic transportation system, identify its users,

showcase the vehicle in several states -- the beginning of the journey, the middle, and the end. For example, how does a passenger board, navigate, and depart from the transit.

Sketch Key Scenes – Draw 6-8 frames showing how the system works, including people, vehicles, and environments, with arrows or labels for movement.

Refine & Present – Add captions, highlight key technologies, and explain how your concept improves mobility before sharing your storyboard.

Instructions

When writing an essay, a thesis statement is a sentence that states the topic and purpose of your writing. A good thesis statement will direct the structure of your essay and will allow your reader to understand the ideas you will discuss within your paper.

A thesis statement for a creative project serves a similar purpose. This statement will guide your research and prototyping throughout the creative process.

EXAMPLE PROJECT THESIS

The 'Segmented Mountain Climber' is a mountain-traversing vehicle featuring segmented compartments and specialized "wegs" for superior grip. Inspired by spider legs, it smoothly navigates challenging terrain using a servo mechanism for turning. Crafted from sturdy wood and controlled by an Arduino system, it offers a polished solution for mountain traversal.

‘Segmented Mountain Climber’

TRANSITOPIA THESIS QUESTIONS

What is it?

How does it work?

What inspired the design?

Why is it needed?

Answer the most important of these questions for your specific project. 

Speak in the "third person". Do not use the words "I" or "you" in your thesis statement. 

As the first time working with your new partner, you will need to compromise and negotiate. 

PROJECT NAME GENERATOR

It is easier to write a thesis statement for your project once you have chosen a project name. 

Here is one technique for coming up with many name options to choose from. 

Project Theme 1

Project Theme 2

Possible Project Names

Water 

Hydro

Liquid

Rain

Dry 

Pack

Collector 

Wear

Camel

 

Suit

Water Pack

Water Wear 

Water Suit

Hydro Wear 

Hydro Pack 

Rain Collector 

Rain Camel 

Rain Wear 

Defining the thesis of your project is an important step. It may take multiple drafts to get it right. This thesis can evolve over the course of the design process. Ask others to critique your words. 

The Climbclaw is an attachment that helps users in climbing things like spiderman. It is made out of cardboard and has spikes. 

exohand

what

things?

what would the final materials be?

SKETCHES

STORYBOARD

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Use AI tools to envision the environment your project will be in.

Using AI as a storytelling tool to help describe your Transitopia proposal to others



1st

2nd

With your group, look through some inspirational images that fit your project design

Use AI tools to create a visual representation of the environment where your transportation project operates, focusing on visual language, built structures, and terrain.

ACTIVITY STEPS

3nd

Use Canva to create a collage by combining your project photo with your AI-generated image

Inspirational Images

1.

You are going to come up with some guiding words for your image generation. These will be the words that help develop your AI-generated images.

Choose at least 6 words that define the scene you are going to create. Your word set should have at least 2 adjectives and 2 nouns

It's ok if your word set evolves as you find useful images and refine your ideas.

Example Word Set:

Futuristic

Vibrant

Rocky

Rove

Robots

Mountain

2.

AI Visioning World

Computers with AI webpage loaded

AI Visioning World

2.

Note: You can use ChatGPT, poe, Dall-E, Craiyon, Canva, or any other.

Now enter your text prompt into the generator and see the results. If you are not happy with the images, you can click "regenerate." You can also refine your text prompt in several iterations to get closer to a design that matches your idea.



"A futuristic transportation system operating in a coastal city with solar-powered vehicles and an efficient renewable energy grid."

"An autonomous vehicle network in a mountainous region powered by wind energy, with rugged terrain and snowy conditions."

Activity Examples

Word Set:

Crystalized

Desolate

Angular

Space Dog

Power nodes

Rocks

3.

Collage

In Canva, make a new document that has a 16:9 aspect ratio

1

2

3

4



Import your AI generated image and project photo

Removed the background of your project photo - https://www.remove.bg/

Move your project photo so that it fits and integrates into the AI-generated world

Collage

3.

PROJECT EXAMPLE



Submit your AI generated visuals in the response tab

Deliverables

LEVER

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

A lever is a machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or fulcrum.

WHEEL & AXLE

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

The wheel and axle consists of a wheel attached to a smaller axle so that these two parts rotate together in which a force is transferred from one to the other.

INCLINED PLANE

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

An inclined plane is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load.

WEDGE

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

PULLEY

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

A pulley is a wheel on an axle or shaft that is designed to support movement and change of direction of a taut cable, rope or belt along its circumference.

SCREW

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

A screw is a mechanism that converts rotational motion to linear motion, and a torque to a linear force.

Scissor Lift

A scissor lift mechanism is a type of mechanical lifting system that uses linked, folding supports in a crisscross (scissor-like) pattern to raise or lower a platform.

Scissor Lift

Tentacle

Tentacle motion refers to the flexible, fluid movement of a tentacle, commonly seen in octopuses, squids, and other cephalopods. Unlike rigid robotic arms or mechanical linkages, tentacle motion is highly dynamic, capable of bending, twisting, extending, and contracting in multiple directions without fixed joints.

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4

2

3

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

Paper airplanes designed for distance, a accuracy, and style.

To get warmed up in the studio with a hands-on activity that focuses on moving something from one place to another.

Instructions

1st

Understanding Flight 

Before you start folding, let’s talk about how planes fly! There are 4 key forces at work when your plane is in the air:

• Lift: Keeps the plane up.
• Thrust: Pushes the plane forward.
• Drag: Slows the plane down.
• Gravity: Pulls the plane down.

Think about how you can use these forces to your advantage when designing your plane.

2nd

Design Your Paper Airplane 



Time to fold ! Your task is to come up with a paper plane that looks cool and flies great. Consider these things:

• Shape: Does the plane have long wings, sharp edges, or a sleek look?
• Size: Does your plane need to be small and fast or bigger for more gliding?
• Sign: Add personal touches 

Pro Tip: If you think your plane needs a little extra support, you can use tape to reinforce the wings or the nose of the plane.

Instructions

3rd

Instructions

Flight Test

Now it’s time for the ultimate flight contest! We’ll measure your plane in these categories:

Longest Flight Distance – How far can your plane go?

Longest Time in the Air – How long can your plane stay up before it falls? Best Stunt – Can your plane do something amazing like loops or dives?

Best Design – Bonus points for creativity!

Each of you will get a chance to launch your plane. We’ll measure the distance and time, and then have a little fun watching your planes perform stunts!

4th

Instructions

Review and Tweak

After your first test, take a look at how your plane performed. What worked well? What didn’t? Can you change anything to make it fly better? Maybe adjust the wings or add some extra tape?

Now you’ll have a chance to make any changes and try again!

5th

Instructions

Final Flight

Once you’ve made any changes, we’ll have one last flight test to see who can improve their plane the most.

Prizes!

• Longest Distance Champion
• Time in the Air Champion
• Stunt Master
• Design Star

WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

Researching existing transit models

To understand what exists already for transportation and gain insight into modes of thinking about moving people and goods



Individually look at the transit examples in the Resource tab. As you go through these precedents, note how the system works, how it's powered, how many people could be moved by it, and what infrastructure it requires.

Individually or in pairs, choose one of the transit systems to focus on.

1st

~1 hr

Activity Steps

Individually or in your pair, create a slideshow that contains the following information about your transit system:

• Where is it located? Is this method used elsewhere in the world?
• How does the transit system relate to the area and its unique setting/environment? (write 2-3 sentences)
• What is awesome vs. awful about this transit system? 
• What are potential ways that this transit system can be improved? (Through sketching, Be imaginative!)

Also include at least 1 photograph of the systems and 1 sketch or diagram of the system.

2nd

Present your precedent research to the class using your slideshow.

3rd