TARDIS Playhouse

[adam]

So, here we go. This is my very first post and my very first TARDIS build. The TARDIS in question is going to be a playhouse for my 5-year old god-daughter, who lives in Oxford with her parents and younger sister. Both Mum and Dad are huge Doctor Who fans and so too are the girls - in fact, there's usually one episode or another playing on DVD in the house (both Classic Who and the revived series).

I've known Dad since we were at University together and he's a lovely bloke - just not one of the world's natural DIY-ers. So, I felt fairly confident that I would not be treading on any toes when I offered to build the girls a playhouse. Both parents agreed enthusiastically but, crucially, I made no mention of the word TARDIS. What I proposed to them was simply a playhouse in the corner of the garden. What I plan to do is build the playhouse in two halves; a standard looking 'back end' in Oxford and the TARDIS bit in my back garden in London. I'll then join the two halves together when it's finished as a surprise for all involved.

What I want to do, essentially, is this:



The idea then, is that the TARDIS becomes like a porch on the front of the playhouse. The TARDIS should dominate the rest of the playhouse, so you won't really notice the back end much (I might even paint it green to merge in with the garden and plant stuff to grow in front of it). The kids will enter the TARDIS and (here's my favourite bit) it'll appear to be bigger on the inside. I then plan to decorate the interior of the house like the control room.

I've also decided NOT to worry too much about authenticity in the design and build of the TARDIS. Yes, it'll obviously be blue, have doors that open inwards, have the police box signs, etc, etc - but I won't worry if I end up clashing elements of a Davison-era box with an Eccleston era, for example.

Wish me luck...

Adam

[rocket]

That's awesome, those kids are so lucky.

[Mark]

Good Luck Adam!

Sounds a great idea. As rocket said, those kids are lucky 

It's a clever way you have thought it through and good that you haven't bogged yourself down with issues of 100% accuracy to this type etc.

It's very easy to become obsessed with a particular type of TARDIS and become quite anal about accuracy and perfection (I include myself within that scope) but forget the whole purpose of the build which is enjoyment and achievement.

Will you be including a build diary for us all to enjoy?

[adam]

Hi Guys - thanks for the positive comments. Yes, I will definitely be including a build diary to document all the fun (and inevitable mistakes) as I go. I've been scribbling ideas down over the weekend:



and I think I've decided on a rough plan of action. In addition to not worrying too much about the style of TARDIS I end up with, I'm also going to shrink it down a bit. I'll keep the proportions, but the kids are quite small and I want them to 'fit' with it, if that makes sense.

I'm going to work out all my dimensions tonight and try to figure out exactly where I want things to go. I'd do it now, but I'm supposed to be working!

Adam

[warmcanofcoke]

sounds like a wonderful project

Kids grow up so quickly these days, maybe you want to make the Tardis slightly bigger than them so they can enjoy the playhouse for a few more years.

[galacticprobe]

Check out Scarfwearer's web site and his TARDIS and Console Room build. Then you will be inspired to built this playhouse adult-size so your children can enjoy it well into their adult lives, and share it with their children (and you can even use it when they're not at home!). <cue that maniacal laughter like Renfield again>

Dino.

[adam]

So, been working out the relative dimensions (haha) of the TARDIS this evening. I wanted to find a good image of the TARDIS square-on, so that I could ensure that the height-width ratio remained reasonable - in the end I just took a screen grab from the beginning of 'Fear Her', where Tennant's TARDIS materialised between the two shipping containers and took some basic measurements from that.
I then spent a chilly hour or so in the shed, scribbling on the white board on the wall and this is what I came up with:



So, the TARDIS herself is going to be just over 2m tall and about 1.15m wide at the base. I figure that's big enough for the kids without being too overbearing - and it's still a decent size for them to grow into. Helpfully, having an idea of the size allows me to plan out the playhouse too, as I need all the bits to line up! I'm up in Oxford at the weekend, hopefully starting to lay out the playhouse foundations, so I really need to get the ball rolling on this.

It's all staring to get a bit exciting..!

Adam

[warmcanofcoke]

those kids are going to love this 

[wayne venomous]

Excellent! 

This is pretty much the idea I had with my Daughter's TARDIS - don't worry about the accuracy too much, just make it kid-safe and fun!

What I have found is that regardless of how dodgy the dimensions get, as long as it's a good blue and the Police Box signs look good, the look of the whole thing just works.