And the Winner of the Maker Faire Design Challenge is…

Our first-ever Maker Faire Design Challenge (sponsored by SketchUp) tasked makers, fabricators, designers, and inventors to envision a new kind of temporary public information kiosk to be built and set up at Maker Faire Bay Area 2014, which is coming up shortly on May 17 & 18.

Entries came in from all over the world. They ranged from classic architectural forms like pyramids and towers, to fantastical carousels and castles, to figural shapes like robots and human heads. Our panel of judges — comprised of experts from SketchUp, ShopBot, and Maker Faire — evaluated each design in terms of constructability, use of materials, and functionality.

The winner is…

With interlocking panels and tarps, Pierre Grande’s design features giant triple-hinged doors with hard-to-miss arrows inviting attendees inside, an open interior for crowd flow, very efficient use of vertical information display space, and adjustable feet for stability. Here’s the idea in Pierre’s own words:

Concept of the Ark : The project focuses on managing the flow of visitors who need quick access to general site map: this is why the project is designed as an arch and not as an enclosed space. The design of the arch promotes the passage of a maximum number of people from both sides to have access to two site plans. The two main doors hinged with both integrated giant arrows indicate the front and rear access to the ark from the whole site.

You can explore Pierre’s design in 3D using the embedded model below. Please let us know what you think in the comments.

Now the really fun part begins: Fabricating the parts on ShopBot CNC tools, packing the pieces for transport, and (eventually) working together to put the structure together on-site at the San Mateo Event Center (which has been home to Maker Faire Bay Area for nine years now).

We’d also like to congratulate our first runner-up, Michael B. for his “medieval Maker Faire” design…

…and acknowledge several entries with honorable mentions:

• Renaud for his “King Kong” inspired design (which he even modeled in real life with detailed how-to build instructions).
• Seth G. for his minimalist “no hardware” design (which also used the least amount of material).
• Oscar Hernandez and Jon Harrison for their Reciprocal Kiosk (which is best appreciated in 3D viewer).
• Kris Y. for The Kyokoo (which is simply wonderful).

Thanks again to everyone who participated. Look out for “The Ark” at Maker Faire Bay Area in three weeks!