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East Campus REX Build 2023! I designed and led the construction of a 3-story wooden castle for my dorm's freshmen orientation.
There was a team of us who participated in every step of the process, beginning in January, from sketching, to CAD, to preparing the documentation for inspection and obtaining the city's approval to build, to managing a team of 50+ undergraduate volunteers for a month-long construction period, and finally to deconstruction.
This is the first preliminary sketch of the fort, which I drew by hand.
A few months later, we had a complete fort ready in SolidWorks.
Finally, as above, we completed our castle just in time for the annual East Side Party, where freshmen and EC folks can dance the night away before the semester starts.
We invited community members to create themed art for the climbing walls, which had bouldering routes set by experienced climbers.
I was one of the project leads- I spent all day, every day (and most of my nights too...) from mid-August through mid-September constructing , and then deconstructing the fort! It was a massive undertaking, funded by MIT and East Campus- there was a lot of money, moving parts, safety, time concerns, and institutional needs to keep in a balance.
I led the licensing and permitting process, interfacing with both MIT's Environmental Health and Safety office, as well as with the City of Cambridge to obtain approval for our design and safety plans. I compiled a 90-page document covering these aforementioned designs and safety procedures for the construction.
I almost forgot to mention the decorative (foamcore) guillotine. With more time, we would have added a trebuchet, too. Yay, siege weapons.
EC community members and prefrosh made sure they left their mark on the fort too, with colorful graffiti art.
Installing joists for the second floor.
Looking down from three stories up!
Working on crossbracing.
Connecting 4x4s to make towering posts to be raised later for framing the third floor.
Sunset on site: applying finishing touches on the main floors, framing the staircase, and guillotine in process on the left.
Raising posts with ropes.
All third-floor posts are up!
Recruitment of volunteers led by haunz.
A little bit too much crack, I mean, Montreal Steak Seasoning.
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Almost finished guillotine, minus the foamcore blade and the plywood covering for the bed. Construction of guillotine led by anzianij.
Grills are hot! Our sustenance consisted of Rush Burgers, Rush Glizzies, and Homeopathic Lemonade cooked on our own portable grill (God I miss EC).
The drawbridge was able to be fully raised and lowered with a rope system, so that boulderers on the other side could climb at any degree of inversion.
Drawbridge construction led by anhad.
Drawbridge bearings graciously provided to us by SendCutSend (screws and hardware also very generously provided to us by Simpson StrongTie).
Myself, some members of the project lead team, and some construction volunteers with MIT President Sally Kornbluth.
Our project was a massive success this year- we built a 3-story castle with an adjustable drawbridge and bouldering wall. Over 100 people helped with construction over the course of a month, we held an exciting party in the castle welcoming the freshmen, and we offered several days' worth of activities, open hours, and community-building events at the build site.
Personally, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, bringing something that started as a drawing on loose notebook paper into a three-story structure. I met so many freshmen who were excited about engineering, and watching them gain the confidence to measure, cut, impact, and more was rewarding. For me, that's what build was, the first time I helped- I started as someone who had never even heard of an impact driver in my life, and after helping for the first time in 2021, I built my own loft bed... and now I made it here, mentoring and empowering others to make anything.
Absolutely massive thank you's to Simpson StrongTie, SendCutSend, MIT EHS, East Campus, wszeto, anhad, ammolina, lilisun, jntaimo, Putz Workbench, MITERS, and so, so, so many more who helped make this project happen, kept me somewhat sane, and inspired me every day to reach for the stars.
We built in all weather!
And at all hours!
And we're finished. Wow.
PARTY VIDEOS!!!!!
371038673_6794672003930320_1499469121051494290_n.mp4All videos taken by jntaimo during my DJ set. Playing: Mo Bamba by Sheck Wes.
370923952_9832909423448082_2864284249797153643_n.mp4Around 800 freshmen + MIT community members attended the East Side Party we held in the castle we built! It's a tradition. Playing: Bodak Yellow by Cardi B.
371020420_6462743037145909_4037936609688742332_n.mp4Every year, the B3rd Bombers (another MIT living community) tries to break our floors (unsuccessfully, this year :P), depicted. Playing: transition between More (RedOne Jimmy Joker Remix) by Usher and S&M Remix by Rihanna and Britney Spears.
370822221_6399677723461465_3587557084240338592_n.mp4You can hear the musical Tesla Coil (run by MITERS) 'singing' along. Playing: Like A G6 by Far East Movement.
370919756_6222365104557594_5755103147533299190_n.mp4People had such a fun time that night! Playing: Like A G6 again.
370844447_6530435930374346_358723633004468752_n.mp4So many freshmen! Playing: Temperature by Sean Paul.
371015964_6497699833662333_7528184633700684392_n.mp4Here's me spinning! Playing: You Make Me Feel... (La La La) by Cobra Starship.
This project has truly been my best engineering yet- I'm so humbled, honored, and grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. I'm so proud to get to share these pictures and videos of my experience with you!
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