1. Project Goals: 

Our project seeks to add value to an animal shelter located at Bandar Mahkota Cheras by designing a sustainable and innovative hut-playground for dogs and working with the animal shelter to set up a system for customisable dog wheelchairs..

2. Fund-raising support & Other external sponsorship:

• reaching out by social media and friends 
• The RM3000+ fundraising had been used for the building materials. During the fundraising, we can feel the warmth from the public who are very interested and looking forward to this community project to complete.

3. Project Implementation:

Goodwheel For All

• Analysis: The Goodwheel team collected an existing wheelchair from Animal Shelter and disassembled it into parts to analyse the framework.

• Prototype: The team replicated the wheelchair. Issues and challenges were identified while building the replica. All findings were documented and well discussed to produce a drafted handbook with procedures and construction details.

• Testing 1: Two freshmen (Bryan & Iba) were given the drafted handbook to replicate the wheelchair (including the process of cutting the materials into correct dimensions). The process was documented and monitored.

• Handbook: The construction team (led by Rocano) summarised all the findings and touched up the handbook. Then, the team will produce a tutorial video with proper cameras set up.

• Testing 2: Another two freshmen to be given the finalised handbook to replicate the wheelchair (including the process of cutting materials into correct dimensions). The process will be documented and monitored.

• Visit animal shelter: 
  • Team A: the testing of the prototype on the dog, how to put on strap, let the dog test, record the dog
  • Team B: dog studies (based on availability of aunty on 30th oct)(recognize the breed, site analysis and interview auntie) (use phone to document)
  • Team C: putting the flatpack and handbook with Auntie (use proper camera set up)
• External Testing: Reach out to a dog owner that needs the wheelchair for their dog and the Goodwheel team will send a tailored size flatpack and receive testimonial review.

Bamboo Playhouse

The bamboo playhouse took a lot of considerations in terms of design, the safety, the materials used and the budget 

Being students, we are not familiar with what actual construction is like. It is far different from the drawings we see during our studies. So when we started fully focusing on the build, a lot of problems surfaced, as we had to compromise the design, materials used, timeline, and dealing with other sponsorships. We also had trouble recruiting volunteers at the end of the year, as most of our friends had already gone on holiday and were not in town for the build. 

This build was one of the hardest projects out of the previous two projects Colllab did as it deals with a different user and we are designing with bamboo, a natural material which cannot be fabricated quickly and needs higher skills and craftsmanship. 

During the construction phase, everything was done by the team of passionate students, from making the foundation, bamboo structure, floor structure and the roof. With practical designs considering safety measures to not go over budget.  

D. Difficulties

• Having dogs as a user, can only get information by observing on-site and interviewing the owner 

• Studying the behaviour of dogs is a challenge because there are so many of them
• Unexpected occurrence: 
  • the site conditions, the dogs will disturb during construction.
  • -the weather limited our working period, decreasing the efficiency of construction. 

E. Language or cultural barriers

There was not any problem with communicating with the shelter owner, she was welcoming, insightful and responsible. Since our users are dogs, frequent site visits and observations were needed to understand the dog’s behaviour. For example we learnt that all dogs are different, which comes with those with different preferences. Some dogs like to be isolated from the others, some like to group up with their friends and some like to run around the whole time. 

F. What worked well? What didn’t work well?

Goodwheel:We were able to do the dog study to record down the dimensions of the dogs classified as Small, Medium and Large dogs. With that information, we are able to see the pattern of the dog size and design the wheelchair for S,M,L size. Only 3 components(pipe) will have different dimensions, but with that changeable length, we are able to produce different sizes wheelchair. 

We wanted to create an extendable joinery that can lengthen and shorten itself. Many prototypes were made using PVC pipe, as it is the lightest material to use and easily accessible. But due to the strength of the PVC pipe becoming weaker once cut and assembled again, the joineries cannot hold the full weight of the wheelchair.

More research for the future: We plan to create a singular joinery(fitting) that does not need to have many joints, to create a stronger and more efficient design with the use of 3D printing in the future

Bamboo Playhouse:

-We have done a lot of prototypes to test until the shelter design is workable and safe for the dogs. 

-We also did the dog study at the shelter, as the design prioritizes the dogs, so their anthropometry and behaviour are important and will affect the design as well.

- What we didn’t work well on is this project is ongoing during our final year semester. Therefore, sometimes we procrastinate and keep delaying the workshops and discussions until the end of the year only being able to construct. 

How many people benefited or will benefit from your project? Who are these people?

-the most benefited is the dogs in the CASH Shelter, which improved their playground condition to provide a bamboo shelter to give shading and resting on the shelter. 

G. Beneficiaries

The goal is to create 5 wheelchairs for the dogs with mobility issues to aid their movement when they go out to play. This would lift the burden of the owner to create and custom make the wheelchairs herself. Furthermore, creating a Bamboo Playhouse for the healthy dogs to play under a safe and shaded area. This Bamboo Playhouse will accommodate dogs with different preferences when they play, for example those that prefer to play under the sun and also the ones that like to hide under a shaded area. Those that like to jump around, and those that like to stay on the ground. 

This will lessen the burden of the animal shelter owner and her workers on creating the wheelchairs and designing and building the bamboo structure.

The students are able to study the needs of the dogs to create a workable wheelchair that is versatile for dogs with different sizes. They need to study the movement. The students are able to apply their architectural knowledge using a sustainable and green material- bamboo on a canine-scale. These two projects let students be exposed to new materials such as PVC pipes and bamboo which was never introduced to most of the students before.

A community project at this scale is perfect for students to gain more insight into real context, enhancing their critical thinking and innovation and improving their hands-on skill while helping the welfare of animals. In addition to expand networking in professional fields and communities while organising collaboration projects 

How does or will your project contribute to happiness? Short-term? Long-term?

On animal welfare. 

Goodwheel: 

Short Term: Aid with movement of injured dogs. So they can roam freely in the compound of the animal shelter without close supervision of the workers and owner

Long term: Furthermore, transfer knowledge for pet owners in need of a wheelchair for their pet, as it is not easily accessible in Malaysia. Furthermore, it is a stepping stone for further research in modular joineries. We plan to create a singular joinery(fitting) that does not need to have many joints, to create a stronger and more efficient design with the use of 3D printing in the future

Bamboo Playhouse:

Short Term: Create a sustainable and comfortable playhouse for the dogs to play during their playing sessions, hidden from the harsh weather conditions, but also fulfil the needs of the active and quiet dogs.

Long term: The material used – Bamboo is considered a highly sustainable resource due to its rapid growth rate and ability to regenerate after being harvested. So if some of the bamboo structures of the shelter are broken, it can be replaced by new bamboo. An extension to our bamboo research has a greater impact. As it can provide a modular and fast construction for the future building environment. Eg. A fast construction for flood relief site

How does or will your project contribute to happiness? Short-term? Long-term?

On animal welfare. 

Goodwheel: 

Short Term: Aid with movement of injured dogs. So they can roam freely in the compound of the animal shelter without close supervision of the workers and owner

Long term: Furthermore, transfer knowledge for pet owners in need of a wheelchair for their pet, as it is not easily accessible in Malaysia. Furthermore, it is a stepping stone for further research in modular joineries. We plan to create a singular joinery(fitting) that does not need to have many joints, to create a stronger and more efficient design with the use of 3D printing in the future

Bamboo Playhouse:

Short Term: Create a sustainable and comfortable playhouse for the dogs to play during their playing sessions, hidden from the harsh weather conditions, but also fulfil the needs of the active and quiet dogs.

Long term: The material used – Bamboo is considered a highly sustainable resource due to its rapid growth rate and ability to regenerate after being harvested. So if some of the bamboo structures of the shelter are broken, it can be replaced by new bamboo. An extension to our bamboo research has a greater impact. As it can provide a modular and fast construction for the future building environment. Eg. A fast construction for flood relief site

Has your project changed the way you think about the world? How has it changed you?

Animals are sentient beings with kind heart, but living in a cruel world

Even though the voices of the animals cannot be heard, do our best to protect them from

harm.

(What did I learn during site visit) Among the multiple site visits, the shelter owner gave a lot

of insight during her 10 years helping change the lives of the vulnerable. There was a dog

which she rescued and nurtured back to health in the shelter, but she soon noticed the dog

wants to leave the shelter, she noticed signs of breaking out attempts like jumping over

fences and boring holes to escape, she then decided to let it go, where it is happy. That dog

soon found its own friends and was happy again. This shows that every dog has feelings and

conscience, some want to stay in the shelter where it is a safe haven, some are adventurous and want to roam free.

It is okay to dislike dogs, but that does not justify people that hurt them. The owner explained

why stray dogs sometimes chase people even though they did not do anything wrong. The

dog might have some bad experiences with bad people who beat them up and simply just

wants to defend their territory

Zi Yi

“It is a great opportunity to cause a positive impact.”

Brenda
"It’s not easy to start a cause, especially one that is meaningful and often overlooked, which is why I think it’s important for us to provide the support they need.”

Xin Hui

“It’s more than a wheelchair, it improved the life quality of the injured dogs. By seeing the injured dogs in the shelter it made me appreciate health and life more.”

Yi Zi

This project gave me the opportunity to interact and play my part in helping weak and disabled animals to alleviate the suffering they go through in their daily lives

Wai Yi

Spread kindness .The simplest way to show another struggling soul that there is love to be found in this world .

Hilary

Quite heart whelming when seeing the disabled dogs had the chance to stand and walk again with the help of our project. It's like seeing hope in their eyes!!

Peter

 “every living beings deserves joy in their life”