Science World: Tinkering Space
The Dare
To develop a fun and functional series of furniture for Science World’s tinkering community.
When Science World envisioned the Made in Canada exhibit for the country’s 150th celebration, they proposed an area where visitors could experiment and test their own creations. Double Dare was tasked with designing tables and storage units to make their workshop into a reality.The Outcome
The heart of the workshop is a series of heavy wood tables where children and families gather to enjoy hand-on “maker-space” activities. Working with Science World staff, Double Dare designed these tables to accommodate bins of tools and materials that can be easily swapped out, or covered to make more room on the table. A second type of table was designed to hold a small tub for water based experimentation.
The supporting characters in this story are a series of elaborate mobile storage cabinets. Double Dare designed the first unit to introduce guest to the experiment of the day. A large format screen provides a “digital walkthrough” of the program, along with a white board for hand written tips from staff. The unit also provides enough storage for seating mats for a small school group.
A second unit holds workshop tools plus bins full of small, medium, and large knick-knacks used in the programs. A third unit stores large Rubbermaid containers full of materials. A final unit contains a large fold up table that can be deployed when additional surfaces are required. All of these cabinets can be closed and locked when staff are away.
Following the Made in Canada exhibit, the workshop elements were repurposed in the new Tinkering Studio, where it has found a permanent home.
