Make It Bridge: Connection With Nature

Hello, my name is Sienna! Currently, I am considered a rising senior (12th grade, 17 years old) in the Lakewood Ranch area of Flordia. Along with being considered a high school student, I participate in accelerated dual enrollment so that I can earn my AA degree by the time I graduate high school this year. In addition to completing my studies, I thoroughly enjoy partaking in art projects to pass the time and learn new skills. I originally heard about the 'student design challenge' during last year's 'make it modular' contest where I was designated a runner-up. Having enjoyed the learning experience, I was excited when I noticed another student design challenge posted to the contest board. I entered this competition with two main goals, make something I'm proud of and try to make it proceed at a higher level.

So, I started planning right away. If I am honest, one of my favorite parts of my neighborhood is the large bridge that connects the playground/sports field to the biking trails of the forest area. This bridge is made of wood and in turn, reflects the idea of nature and beauty that the open forest provides. Unfortunately, the bridge is also very tall which proves to be troublesome for people riding their bikes, people in wheelchairs, etc. Noticing this problem from my very first troublesome ride, I figured that something had to be fixed. While I do not currently have the capabilities/finances of doing such a large-scale project, I am hoping to share my vision through this instructable.

I included a more full-view idea of the area in TinkerCad and then created a model that focused on the main elements such as the bridge and seating area discussed below.

I hope that you enjoy watching my ideas for connection form below as I walk you through both the ideas behind the bridge and the actual building process.

Physical Model:

-Popsicle Sticks

-Wood Glue

-Hot Glue Gun

-Scissors

-Paint (brown, white, black)

-Coffee Stirrers

-Super Glue

-Air Dry Clay

-Drinking Umbrella

-Toothpicks

-Light Cord

As mentioned before, The exact location for my bridge will be in my neighborhood park that works towards connecting the bike/walking trails to the playground/sports field.

So, when looking below you will see that the idea behind the original bridge is still present... so why make a replacement? Well, the biggest factor that I was considering is the fact that the bridge is steep as one needs to actively peddle when going across on a bike. This idea alone made me realize the difficulties that the young and old may face when attempting to connect to a portion of nature that they particularly enjoy. To combat this, the bridge I designed is significantly less steep as it only increases slightly before declining as a bridge would. The reason why I did not create a flat bridge is that in Florida, especially during the summer, we are more prone to experiencing heavy rainfall. The last bad storm caused the area to be slightly flooded in many areas including the area surrounding the bridge. To ensure that the bridge is able to stay slightly above the water in case of a flood I kept the idea of a raised bridge (this small height also provides a safe space for any animal that might want to stay dry as we do have quite a few living in the woodsy area).

I also focused on upgrading the adjacent structure near the bridge as shown in the pictures above. My desire to elevate this structure stemmed from the fact that numerous families hang around the structure enjoying nature as they either look at the below stream or the trees. Instead of only renovating the bridge I wanted both structures to match as the side piece focused more on comfortability through rocking chairs for those who wish to read outside, and an umbrella to either protect against the intense heat or a quick summer shower.

Lastly, I wanted the overall feel of the bridge to be almost elegant/beautiful so that it can attract the attention of others. In this day and age, it is very easy to remain occupied inside the house turning to electronics instead of nature. I believe that this bridge will effectively capture the attention of people as they may choose to cross it or take pictures.

Firstly, I tried to recreate a simpler version of the land surrounding the bridge. For starters, the main reason that a bridge is there in the first place is to provide transportation over a long creek.

Once the base of the creek was complete, I began designing the base of the bridge. I decided that I wanted to keep the wooden bridge theme due to the fact that it perfectly correlated with the idea of nature presented by the forest and grassy area. However, as mentioned before this bridge would not include levels of steepness that make travel across harder than it has to be. My main goal is that it is high enough to mostly evade flooding and low enough to allow access for all. Next, I created a criss-cross pattern with two different shades of wood along both sides of the bridge along with underneath the bridge. This design was created in hopes of continuing the open concept while also adding design elements rather than just logs of wood placed throughout for support. I also incorporated the criss-cross at the bottom of the bridge to add extra support pushing alongside the edges while also providing a pretty view for kids who enjoy playing underneath in the creek.

Now, while it is not common for most people to be out in the park area at night (mainly for safety reasons), during the summer and weekends, many teenagers find themselves crossing the bridge to catch up with friends on the swings and slides located at the playground. To provide another level of safety or sight, I decided to incorporate lighting that lines the whole bridge in the middle of the sides. Since the area is located far from power sources, my main option was to incorporate solar panel LED strips. The solar panel would be placed on top of a metallic box that holds the beginning of the light strip, the rest will flow out and be placed alongside the bridge. The main idea is that throughout the day the LED strips would be solar-powered so that at night the lights could run without delay. To ensure that no wildlife is disturbed, I would incorporate a subtle orange that lights the way across the bridge while not creating any unnecessary distractions.

My next inclusion wanted to target two of the suggested themes in the prompt: "Increasing accessibility and/or a sense of belonging for a user group" and "Promoting a deeper relationship between humans and nature." The main idea is that if the bridge provides accessibility to a more diverse population then more people are able to connect with nature whether it's through sight or the feel of warm rays and bustling sounds of nature. This idea comes to light through tactile paving which is an attachment to flooring that allows those with sight complications to safely cross an area without fear of walking into hectic commotion such as a bike rider zooming through the bridge. I was mainly inspired to place this addition to the fact that I am currently participating in an ASL course. While ASL does not correlate with levels of blindness, it does correlate to other parts of the population that may struggle with tasks that most people don't even think about. This realization made me want to include a safe crossing for those who are trying to live their best life during any circumstance. 

As shown in the pictures before, the scenery already has these 'car blockers' placed by the entrance and exit of the bridge. I decided to keep these at the entrance and exit due to the promoted safety that they provide. For example, golf carts and sometimes cars may have owners that feel tempted to go the easy route and pass over the bridge, however, this is especially dangerous for pedestrians who are trying to cross.

As mentioned above I wanted to elevate and connect the existing structure by combining the new design pattern throughout while also providing a floor. The purpose of the floor is to not only make the piece seem more connected but also to promote comfort against the uneven terrain for those trying to enjoy the scenery.

Continuing the idea of comfortability, I added rocking chairs and an umbrella. The rocking chairs are designated for all but can also cater to older married couples who want to rest their legs while watching the birds mingle. The chairs can also be utilized for those who wish to read books in the peacefulness of nature or those who just want to detach from reality. Either way, my goal is to promote people to spend more time outdoors.

The umbrella also promotes comfort by protecting against numerous weather factors. Firstly, the sun in Florida can be very daunting especially during the summer so a nice umbrella will provide some much-needed shade. Secondly, Florida is also prone to summer showers that can sometimes arise from nowhere. When a drizzle occurs people can find safety or shelter underneath the umbrella.

Next, to further instill the idea that a lot of people enjoy riding this bike along the trails and past the bridge I place a bike ride and then created a bike model. The bike rack would also support the structure alongside the bridge by allowing bike riders to rest their bikes and themselves while rocking back and forth on the provided chairs.

Trying to further demonstrate the details provided by the landscape I added two more elements. First I added a sand/dirt semicircle arc that represents a portion of the parking area for those who have decided to drive to the park. Then I added a couple of trees to truly incorporate the woodsy surrounding without overpopulation in the presentation.

1) Using wood glue attach two popsicle sticks on top of each other, ensuring that each layer is completely dried before assembling the actual base.

2) Once 28 total double popsicle sticks are dry, use a hot glue gun to slowly elevate the popsicle sticks creating a complete curve. (wood glue can also be used, but my first attempt found that the glue allowed the bridge to be bendable for far longer than necessary, hence I redid the gluing process and found that the glue gun allowed me to work faster and more precise)

3) If the glue overflows from the side, then once dried scrape away the excess.

4) Since popsicle sticks have a naturally curved end and beginning, instead of shortening the pieces by cutting the curve off I decided to smooth clay along the edges to create a straight line.

• Make sure to thoroughly wet the clay so that it actually sticks to the wood.
• A wet paintbrush helps the smoothing process either by using the end of the paintbrush or the brush (I used the end for initial flattening and then went over with the brush to erase jaggedness)

5) Once the clay fully dries, paint the whole bridge a brown color. (multiple layers will be required to create a smooth finish, this will also be covered in further steps)

1) Measure the length of the bridge (10.5 inches) and make one continuous popsicle stick that measures the same length.

2) Next, position 7 popsicle sticks evenly throughout the previously made elongated stick.

3) Once the distance is confirmed, mark the elongated stick to the desired positions.

4) Returning back to the 7 popsicle sticks, create a pyramid shape between them as there is one long stick as the others shorten beneath.

5) Now that the desired heights are marked, cut each piece.

6) Repeat steps 4 and 5, but this time also add in a 1/4 inch wide gap in between all of the sticks as seen in the third picture.

7) Cut the popsicle sticks along the gaps previously made to create two separate pieces.

8) As seen in picture 5, place the two pieces on the sticks made in step 5 according to their designated partner/length.

7) Using wood glue, glue all of the pieces made from steps 4-8 together.

8) Returning to the elongated stick of step 1, glue the seven pieces on top of their designated spots. (ensure that the gaps are facing backward as seen in picture 6)

9) Once the glue is set, fill in the free space with other cut popsicle sticks.

10) then create two more elongated popsicle sticks as completed in step 1 and place them together as seen in picture 7.

11) Once the glue dries, place the elongated popsicle sticks across the gaps so that some of the area is now closed.

12) Using clay fill in any visible gaps along the elongated popsicles of the structure.

13) Lastly, facing the side with the gaps (as seen in picture 9), create a clay border that will keep the lights in place for a future step.

Repeat all the steps for the other side.

1) Paint the whole structure made in the previous step brown.

2) Cut the coffee stirrers into diagonal pieces that fit into the bottom box (place the original shade on the inside and paint the other stirrers to be brown before placing them on the outside)

• This process will be very time-consuming and tedious, but if you cut all the pieces out before gluing them then the process will go by much faster.

3) Place two coffee stirrers painted brown along the top of the bridge connecting the highest and lowest portion as seen in the first picture.

4) Since step 3 left some gaps, play and smooth clay into the gaps until the structure seems continuous.

• Once the clay fully dries, paint the area brown just like the rest of the bridge.

5) Now that the top portion is complete, do the same diagonal/criss-cross of the coffee stirrers for each blank space

6) Once the structure is complete, glue the side to the right side of the bridge as seen in the last picture.

Repeat steps 1-5 for the other side structure.

1) Grabbing chunks, dip the clay into a cup of water and massage it until it is easy to shape and stick it onto other structures.

2) Flatten out the clay into a rectangular shape.

• I used a paintbrush to flatten the clay out as thinly as possible without breaking (the base acted as a rolling pin).

3) Once the clay is thin, cut a roughly 1x1.5 inch rectangle and then place it on the edge of the left side of the bridge as seen in picture 2.

4) Using the hard tip of a brush, indent 6 horizontal holes and 3 vertical holes that fill the entire piece as seen in picture 2.

5) Once the indents are made, place rolled-up clay balls into each one and smooth the edges so that the pieces stick.

6) Repeat steps 1-5 until the whole side of the bridge is covered in tactile paving as seen in picture 3.

7) Chances are that the bridge now has a white smear where there should be none, so another chance to paint the bridge has been presented. Paint the bridge brown being careful not to touch the tactile paving.

8) Once the bridge base is painted, paint the tactile paving a light grey color.

1) Grab 8 popsicle sticks and lie them horizontally, marking the same shape as seen in the first picture.

2) Once the shape appears to be even and marked, cut each of the pieces and then glue the main pieces together as seen in the second picture.

3) Next, cut popsicle sticks to be 2 inches high (a total of 11)

• Picture 3 demonstrates how each edge will have a popsicle stick, and how the back will have a total of three (one in the middle)

4) Once the sticks are ready, glue them vertically along the edges.

5) Add a railing on top of the vertical popsicle sticks, filling in any gaps with clay.

6) Place/glue popsicle sticks along the middle of the vertical sticks to act as support.

7) Once the whole structure is dry, paint everything the same brown as the bridge for a base coat.

8) Next, cut the diagonal coffee stirrers once again and this time clearly place them on the outside of the structure as seen in picture 7.

9) Once the glue is set, paint the whole structure once again brown to create a darker/clearer color.

10) Finally, place the coffee stirrers on the inside of the structure and allow the glue to dry.

1) Once again roll out a slightly wet piece of clay.

2) Using a blade, cut the clay in a circular shape, allowing one of the sides to slightly invert as seen in picture 2.

3) Make three divets along either side of the circle.

4) Place and smooth balls of clay into the previously made divets.

5) Poke three small holes onto the untouched arched side.

6) Grabbing toothpicks, insert 0.5-inch sticks into the clay balls and 0.75-inch sticks into the previously made holes (place the sharp side down).

7) Create the armrests for the chair by making an elongated novel out of clay and slightly pressing the piece flat (I used wood glue to allow the piece to stay in place without piercing the clay).

8) Next, create a 0.25-inch headboard by once again creating an elongated rectangle.

• I made this specific shape by creating a 0.50-inch rectangle and then folding it in the middle to overlay the toothpicks sticking out.

9) Create two semi-triangles as seen in picture 6 and glue them both onto the bottom of the chair.

10) Attach two horizontal toothpicks that connect the two triangles as seen in picture 6.

11) Then, create two arches made of clay and attach them to the ends of both of the semi-triangles.

12) Lastly, once the chair and clay are completely dry then paint the whole structure a very light brown/beige.

Repeat these steps for the second rocking chair.

Thread the light cord between the structure, making sure that no lights are getting stuck between the non-gaps.

1) Aquire a drinking umbrella of any color and then cut off the end of the wooden stick slightly as seen in pictures 1-2.

2) Once the desired height is reached paint the whole structure black.

• It took me a total of 4 layers for the pink to no longer shine through (this could vary depending on the quality of the paint).

3) Once the umbrella completely dries use super glue to glue the bottom to the side structure as seen in picture 4.

1) First, connect the two structures by cutting a 1-inch popsicle stick and painting it brown to match the structure as seen in picture 1.

2) Next, create two small 0.5x0.25-inch rectangles and smooth the edges.

3) Using a blade, create an indent a little above the middle of the rectangle as seen in picture 2.

4) Create a small rectangle and place it in the middle of the indent like a latch.

5) Create two 'stars' by making two thing balls and pushing them in alongside the edges.

6) Cut a little toothpick and insert it into the top.

7) Create another rectangle and insert it at the top of the toothpick, creating square indents as seen in picture 3 to represent the panels.

8) Paint the back of the solar panel black.

9) Glue the box near the top of the entrance to the bridge.

Repeat these steps for the second solar panel box.

I wanted to offer my sincerest gratitude for making it all the way to the end. I enjoyed creating a bridge that focused on strengthening a sense of community through a focus on enjoying moments in nature. I hope that bridges like this will become a reality that focuses on inclusion for all different types of people with different ways of life (for example those who rely on tactile paving). I also want to thank all those who made this competition possible due to the fact that I, and presumably many other students, have enjoyed learning more about the process of design whether it was through CAD/BMI technologies or handmade models.

Thank you for considering my submission for the Student Design Challenge: Make it Bridge.