Fareham College and CEMAST Students Team Up for Local Time Capsule Project
Fareham Council recently approached Fareham College and CEMAST in search of volunteers to help develop time capsules for local schools to be rediscovered in 25 years’ time.
The project was to research, design and 3D print containers for three local schools, using suitable materials that wouldn’t corrode over time, as well as having a proper seal in place to protect the items inside. The schools involved in the project included Park Gate Primary, Sarisbury Infant, and Sarisbury Junior, who have all provided items such as school stationery, handwritten notes, and even an iPhone.
The student up for the task of building the capsules was Level 3 Mechanical Engineering student, Scott Heelas. He said: “Fareham Council approached us about the Time Capsule idea and I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to run with the project. I researched, designed and created prototypes to fit the specifications Fareham Council gave. I experimented with a couple of different options and eventually came up with the winning concept.
“The facilities and support at CEMAST have helped me create a fantastic project I’m proud of. The project was based on 3D printing, which is a relatively new technology. We’re lucky at CEMAST to have the newest ‘Ultimaker 3’ printer which is an excellent piece of equipment.
“I liaised with local schools, the Art and Design department at Fareham College, and Fareham Council themselves. We created the time capsules to a shape that would fit the items the schools wanted to include, as well as ensuring the material used wasn’t corrosive and would stand the test of time.”
The Art and Design department at Fareham College played a big role in the design process of the project from the beginning. Level 3 Art and Design student, Molly Sheppard, was involved in the research and design process of the shape and overall look of the capsules. Once Scott had built the containers, it was up to the others to make them visually impressive. Alice Long, Lorna Elizabeth Tongs-Ketteringam, and Amber Jones, designed the outside of one capsule each, and they all came up with striking designs featuring famous film characters and quirky shapes using bright, stand-out colours.
Principal and Chief Executive of Fareham College, Nigel Duncan, commented: “This project has been a fantastic way for students studying Art and Design to work with an Engineering student to produce a fabulous design solution for a time capsule. The time capsules, commissioned by Fareham Borough Council, have been filled with contemporary artefacts by young pupils from the schools. The students who took part will be in their 40s when the time capsules are dug up in twenty-five years’ time. It will be fascinating to see how the young in 2042 view the buried treasures!”
The time capsules will be buried at the beginning of the summer and all the students who took part in the project will be welcomed back to see their hard work in action.
