Off The Grid: Syria Edition

Maglev Flywheel Battery

Zephyros Koyanis and David Giffin

Maglev Flywheel Battery

David Giffin

Zephyros Koyanis

Bamboo Explorations

Gabe Murray and 2 OthersNico Bellucci
Bradley Kohistany

Bamboo

By Nico B, Bradley K, Gabe M

THings for saeed: Set layouts for both slides and text automatically like figma

Gabe's:

Bamboo Explorations teaches resource management and fundamental agricultural principles. Developed in collaboration with schools in Syria, this project combines research and materials science into a comprehensive manual and presentation. Its primary goal is to evaluate whether bamboo can serve as a timber substitute in Syria’s arid climate, where wood is scarce and costly. Because bamboo grows quickly and tolerates dry conditions, it presents a practical alternative. Furthermore, this project shows students how to build furniture out of bamboo while also being resource efficient. It includes a manual explaining how to build a tensegrity chair and also offering a challenge for the students to take on. Moreover, working with bamboo gives students hands‑on experience in design and engineering, enriching their education and the resources they can access.


Nico's:

In Syrian schools, students don't have access to materials for their desks, chairs, and other necessities. Syria has a very dry climate therefore growing trees becomes more expensive and in turn, lumber prices are through the roof. Not having a desk or a chair can make school uncomfortable and learning impossible. This project aims to lower lumber prices in Syria by growing bamboo. Bamboo grows very fast and some species need only 750 mm of water per year, such as Dendrocalamus Strictus, also known as male bamboo. It grows very fast and is almost solid under certain conditions. Using these bamboo stalks, some rope, and a little time, you can use tensegrity to make a very material-efficient desk that can support a large amount of weight. Students would be given small infographic booklets teaching them how to make this desk and the basic skills needed to make any structure with this method. In addition, this booklet would be able to teach them about agriculture and biology. Of course for anything larger than a shade canopy or desk, such as a building, or another weight-bearing structure, they would need help from an adult and some larger bamboo stalks and stronger rope.

Bradley's:

Key Note Slide Deck:

Heide Solbrig and 2 OthersLloyd Graves
Matthew McAdam

OFF-THE-GRID: SYRIA EDITION

FINAL PRESENTATION

Gibran Ashai and Caroline Agola

Final Slide Deck:

Heide Solbrig and Lloyd Graves

Meshtastic's implementation in Syria.

Matthew McAdam, Lloyd Graves

Remaking Sports

Sam Hague and Andrew Perticone

Remaking Sports

By Andrew and Sam

Low-Fi sports equipment

Andrew Perticone and Sam Hague

Remaking sports

By Andrew and Sam

Studio Calendar

Ayush Gandhi

What’s in a Grid? Off-the-Grid/on the Micro-Grid


This studio will look at some of the ideas—environmental, ethical, etc.—that inspire various groups and individuals to opt out of mainstream grids. Along the way, we will ask ourselves, ‘What are the grids that we do use?’ Transportation? Power? Communication? We will build prototypes for a few of the more accessible ‘off-the-grid’ technologies, including model wind-turbines, composting toilets..maybe a Ham Radio? What would an ‘off-the-grid’ Internet look like? Can we make decisions about when and where we participate in mainstream grid systems or just go our own way?



In this iteration of the studio, we will also invite our School Head Saeed to share his experience of going back to Syria post the overthrow of dictatorship. Essentially the school in his village is 'Off the grid', and struggles with basic access to electricity, heat and hygiene. We will want to explore how NuVu students can contribute to the 'blueprint' being made in Syria to rebuild schools with resiliency and keeping in mind the redefined purpose of education: To build and rebuild society