Session: Young Women’s Design Building Institute, Summer 2026
Builders: 39 high school students
Materials: reclaimed redwood, wood screws, plywood, 2×4 scrap wood, rope, gloves
Tools: chop saw, speed square, drill, impact driver, measuring tape, sandpaper, wood glue, spring clamps, bar clamps, locking clamps, drill press, pulleys, roof harness mechanism
Community Partner: Local museum (to be announced soon!)

Description:

Over the two weeks of Young Women’s Design Building Institute, students worked on fabricating two 600+ lb multi-layered lattice walls that will be featured as exhibition casework in a local museum later this year! With reclaimed redwood prepped (planed and rip-cut to size) and a plywood template built by staff, our student builders constructed each lattice wall layer one at a time, later layering four of these lattices together with a unique tri-joint. Because we built this structure flat on its side rather than upright, partway through the week we had to problem-solve a way to lift the 10-foot, 600+ lb structure upright. Using a multi-pulley system, roof mechanism harness, and the power of the Girls Garage truck, we slowly lifted this wall together!