1. Activity of Day 1¶

Foundations of Modeling & Fabrication¶

Modeling and Fabrication are inseparable parts of the design process, where computational thinking, material knowledge, and production methods all influence outcomes.

Designing is not just about creating forms on a screen, it requires considering how ideas will physically manifest, making fabrication a central factor in shaping design decisions.

Modeling¶

Modeling is more than representing shapes; It represnts form, logic, behavior, and intelligence.

There are different approaches, including:

Geometric Modelling: This approach focuses on creating shapes using basic geometry such as points, lines, surfaces, and solids. It defines the exact form and dimensions of an object.
parametric & rule-based modelling : In this approach, models are created using parameters, constraints, and rules. Dimensions and relationships are defined so that changing one value automatically updates the entire model.
simulation & data-driven Modelling : This method uses data and simulations to predict how a design will behave under real-world conditions.

Fabrication¶

Fabrication transforms these models into physical artifacts.

Fabrication involves understanding:

Materials – how they behave, deform, and respond to fabrication processes
Machines
Processes – the steps and techniques used to shape materials

Design-to-Fabrication Process¶

The design process is iterative rather than linear, allowing continuous feedback at every stage. It typically follows these steps:

Idea : Conceptualize the design goals and requirements
Model : Creating digital or representations of the design
Prototype: Build initial version
Fabricate: Produce the physical artifact based on the model
Evaluate: test it and use feedback to improve the design

Activity 1 – Building a Documentation Website with MkDocs Material¶

Documentation is a critical part of the design and fabrication process.

About Website¶

For this activity, I created a documentation website using MkDocs Material to record my digital modeling and fabrication learning journey. The site captures course understanding, daily activities, materials used, reflections, and results.

Web Pages:

Home – Contains an introduction and my background

Daily Activity - Shows my course understanding and activities completed throughout the course

Activity 2 – Publishing Documentation via GitHub Pages¶

From Local Project to Public Knowledge¶

In this activity, I have learned how to publish and share technical documentation site using GitHub and GitHub Pages. This allowed the documentation created locally to be accessed as a live website by anyone online.

Task Description¶

Uploading MkDocs documentation project to GitHub and publishing it as a live website using GitHub Pages.

Uploading local documentation site to Github¶

Created a GitHub repository to host the project
upload MkDocs project files to GitHub : Uploaded the local MkDocs project files to the repository using Git commands in the Git Bash terminal, ensuring the files were properly tracked and ready for deployment.

Deploying Website¶

Enabled GitHub Pages : Activated the GitHub Pages feature in the repository settings, which allows the project files to be hosted as a live website directly from GitHub.
Deployed the site with a public URL : Once GitHub Pages was enabled, the site became accessible online via a public URL, making the documentation available to anyone without needing access to the repository.

GitHub repository link
https://github.com/AndrinahKaunda/Modelling-and-Fabrication.git
Live GitHub Pages URL
https://andrinahkaunda.github.io/Modelling-and-Fabrication/

Result - Git Live Website¶

Activity 3 – Peer Review¶

For this activity, I reviewed Nomsa Ndlozi’s documentation website .

Nomsa did a really good job in presenting her work and demonstrated a strong understanding of the overall course content. Her documentation clearly explained the modeling and fabrication concepts and the process she went through in designing.

All the required exercises were completed and documented excellently. The workflow across the pages was clear, logical, and easy to follow, making the documentation reproducible for someone new to the course.

We also worked together during some labs, and through collaboration and discussion, we were able to clarify concepts and support each other in different ways.

Overall, her documentation reflected good design thinking, clarity, and technical understanding, making it a strong example of effective course documentation.