Finlandia Newsletter Article!

The Keweenaw Family Resource Council’s winter park concept ‘The Tree House’ will offer indoor exercise opportunities for area children ages: infant to 5-years old. Finlandia design students are designing some of the toys, displays, accessories and playground equipment. The Tree House is hoping to open its doors for play this winter in the Razorback Center in Houghton.

Art + Design student Vanessa Lipson, is working on Infant Corral/Seating modules, while Abbi Zablocki is exploring fabric Cloud concepts, and David Goodman, is making Big Lincoln Logs from cardboard carpet tubes.

Christine Westrich, a third-year Interdisciplinary Design student with her eye on a career in toy design, is developing a 4-seat bicycle carousel. Challenging enough just as a design effort, Christine is also fabricating the unit in the ISAD model shop, and doing it using 95% reusable resources.

Combining old tricycle parts donated by BHK, the wheel bearing from a Ford Taurus and part of a truck tire rim from Julio’s Salvage yard, the designer has managed to get all the mechanical elements complete and operational and is beginning conceptual studies for the visual effects which are an important part of this piece of Tree House playground equipment.

“I want to make this unit more fun than just riding it,” Christine says. “Maybe with parts that move or animate or even light-up when the kids are pedaling.”

The KFRC Tree House winter park is a great community project. You can see what they’re up to at: www.houghtonwinterpark.blogspot.com