Community Center Make It Heal | Sebastian Kubisiak

Hello, my name is Sebastian Kubisiak, and I am a sophomore at Westhill High School. This year, I decided to take a manufacturing class because I wanted to learn more about engineering, design, and technology through hands-on projects. During this course, I discovered that I really enjoy 3D design and architectural modeling. Learning how to turn an idea into a realistic digital structure has been one of the most interesting parts of this class.

For this project, I designed a modern community learning center that supports education, healing, and community connection after natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. One of the main goals of this project was to create a building that could better withstand severe weather while still providing a welcoming and comfortable environment for the community.

A key feature of my design is the large dome-shaped structure that surrounds the building. The curved shape helps strong winds flow around the structure instead of directly pushing against flat walls. This reduces wind pressure and helps improve the building’s resistance to hurricanes and severe storms. I also included elevated pathways and landscaping to improve drainage and help reduce minor flooding around the building.

Throughout this project, I used Tinkercad to design and develop my ideas. This experience helped me improve my creativity, planning, and design skills while showing how architecture can be used to solve real-world problems and create safer spaces for communities during challenging situations.

For this project, you will need a computer or laptop, internet access for research, reference images, planning sketches, and Tinker cad to create and develop your 3D design. These resources will help you research, plan, design, and present your community learning center.

For the first step of my project, I researched community centers, hurricane-resistant architecture, and sustainable building design. I focused on dome-shaped structures because their curved design helps strong winds flow around the building, reducing wind pressure during hurricanes and severe storms. I also learned how strong dome structures can better withstand harsh weather conditions, including flooding. During this stage, I gathered ideas, looked at reference images, and created sketches to help plan a safe, welcoming, and resilient community learning center.

After completing my research, I began planning the purpose and layout of the community learning center. My goal was to create a safe and welcoming space where people could learn, connect, and recover after natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. During this stage, I planned how the different areas of the building would be organized and how the dome-shaped structure would help protect the center from strong winds and severe weather. This step helped turn my research and ideas into a clear plan for the project.

After completing my planning, I began building the community learning center in Tinkercad. One of the most challenging parts of this stage was creating the large dome structure. Since Tinkercad does not have a single dome shape that fit my design, I had to combine and adjust many different shapes to create the curved exterior. I experimented with different sizes, positions, and forms until I achieved the look and structure I wanted.

The dome became the most important feature of the project because its curved design helps strong winds flow around the building, reducing wind pressure during hurricanes and severe storms. This step required creativity, problem-solving, and patience as I transformed my ideas into a realistic 3D model and began bringing the project to life.

Once the main structure was complete, I focused on designing the interior of the community learning center. I created learning areas, reading spaces, community gathering zones, and comfortable seating areas to support education and collaboration. I also added bookshelves, plants, colorful furniture, and open spaces to create a welcoming environment. The goal of this step was to design an interior that promotes learning, healing, and community connection while making visitors feel comfortable and supported.

After completing the interior design, I focused on the strength and durability of the building. The large dome-shaped structure was designed to help protect the community center during hurricanes and severe storms. Its curved shape allows strong winds to flow around the building instead of pushing directly against flat walls, reducing wind pressure and stress on the structure. I also designed the building to be strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, including flooding. This step was important because it helped ensure the center could remain safe and functional during natural disasters. To improve safety during emergencies, I included ramps and an elevator throughout the building. The elevator provides access to the roof, which can be used as an evacuation area during severe flooding or other natural disasters. This ensures that the building remains accessible and safe for everyone, including people with disabilities.

After completing the structure and layout of the community learning center, I considered the materials that could be used to make the building strong, safe, and durable. The dome structure could be built using a reinforced steel frame with titanium supports to help withstand strong winds, hurricanes, and severe weather conditions. Large impact-resistant glass windows would provide natural lighting while helping protect the interior during storms. The building also includes ramps and an elevator to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. The elevator provides access to the roof, which can serve as an emergency evacuation area during severe flooding or other natural disasters. These materials and safety features help create a resilient community center that is both functional and protective.

Overall, this project allowed me to combine engineering, design, and creativity to address a real-world challenge. The community learning center was designed not only to withstand hurricanes and severe weather through its dome-shaped structure and strong materials, but also to provide a safe and welcoming space where people can learn, recover, and reconnect after natural disasters.

Throughout the design process, I had to make many changes and improvements to the project. As I continued building in Tinkercad, I adjusted the layout, modified design features, improved the interior spaces, and refined the overall structure to better meet the goals of safety, accessibility, and community support. These revisions helped me understand the importance of problem-solving and adapting designs when challenges arise.

Features such as accessibility ramps, an elevator, a roof evacuation area, natural gathering spaces, and collaborative learning environments help ensure that the center can support people of all abilities during difficult times. Through this project, I learned how thoughtful design can improve safety, strengthen communities, and promote healing. Most importantly, I discovered how engineering and architecture can be used to create solutions that protect people while helping them rebuild, recover, and move forward after a disaster.