project 1

Avian

sanctuary

Avian

sanctuary

Tmeline

March 2025 – April 2025 (4 weeks)

main material

  • Ply Wood

  • Oil Stain

  • Color Stain

id category

  • Product Design

  • Form Exploration

  • Materials & Process Research

Intro to project

Avian Sanctuary responds to urban expansion by designing human-built structures that provide safe resting and nesting spaces for birds, balancing function, form, and material.

Reference Images: Pinterest

Target Species Research

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are small, highly agile birds native to North and South America.
Their compact size and ability to maneuver in tight spaces make them an ideal target species for this project.

    • Quiet, tree-adjacent habitats

    • Lightweight, cup-shaped nests

    • Primarily nectar-fed

    • Requires frequent energy intake

    • Capable of hovering and rapid maneuvers

    • Attracted to small water sources and droplets

    • Seasonal migration across the Americas

    • Requires stable resting spots

Design Implications

  • Small body size → Compact shelter design

  • Agile flight → Clear approach paths

  • Lightweight nests → Soft interior materials

  • Migratory behavior → Modular installation

Inspiration by…

GEOMETRIC STRUCTURE

Exploring simple geometric forms and thin-material structures to inspire clean, functional shapes.

EXISTING PRODUCT

Reviewing existing birdhouses to understand practical construction, accessibility, and user-friendly forms.

ExPLORATION

Rough sketching helped define the foundational structure, with intuitive sketches using lines and geometric shapes to capture early form concepts.

Modelmaking

Sketches were translated into cardboard models to explore geometric forms in three dimensions, identifying shapes suitable for hummingbird nesting..

rendering

FIRST RENDER

  • Increased height → proportion testing

  • Added bottom support bar → structural connection

  • Focused on structural stability

  • Heavier, less minimal appearance

SECOND RENDER

  • Removed bottom support bar → cleaner silhouette

  • Vertical panels provide full support

  • Refined balance between shelter and base

  • More minimal, geometric form achieved

FABRICATION

PLANNING

    • Basswood / thin plywood for the main structure

    • Screws & L-brackets for securing the panels

    • Paper templates & rulers for manual measurement and marking

    • Sandpaper (various grits) for surface finishing

    • Band saw for cutting curved and irregular shapes

    • Table saw for clean, straight cuts

    • Screwdriver for fastening the panels

    • Sanding machine for refining edges and surfaces

    • Hand tools for minor adjustments

    • All dimensions were measured manually to match the final render proportions

    • Each wooden panel was individually cut using the band saw and table saw

    • Surfaces and edges were refined using the sanding machine

    • Panels were assembled using L-shaped brackets and screws, ensuring strong mechanical stability

    • The two vertical panels were aligned carefully to maintain balance and recreate the minimal geometric silhouette

    • Achieve a clean exterior with no visible hardware

    • Ensure strong stability through hidden mechanical connections

    • Maintain the minimal geometric form explored in the digital model

    • Reproduce accurate proportions through manual measurement and cutting

Parts Cutting & Preparation

Components were measured, marked, and manually cut to ensure accurate final proportions.

  • All required measurements were drafted onto paper based on the render.

  • The cutting lines and reference points were hand-drawn directly onto the wooden panels.

  • The marked shapes were precisely cut using a table saw, ensuring clean and accurate edges.

Pre-Assembly / Parts Layout

Checked the structural balance and accurately marked the connection points.

Fabrication Steps

Before any finishing, all panels were sanded to smooth surfaces and edges. Both machine sanding and hand sanding were used to refine the texture and prepare the wood for even color application..

Coloring & stain

A base color was applied after sanding, followed by an additional coat after assembling the upper section to maintain a consistent overall tone.

After drying, panels were assembled with screws and hidden L-brackets, using the vertical panels as the main structural axis and carefully adjusting alignment and balance.

Assembly

Sanding

Final Structure

Next

Project 2