The Big Bang Fair: Students unveil a giant origami paper boat in London

Scool children from Tottenham UTC have helped to launch a giant-sized origami boat on Southwark Boating Lake in South London to mark the 50 day countdown to the annual The Big Bang Fair, which promotes careers in STEM subjects to young people.

The boat, capable of carrying an adult safely, was 3.6 metres (almost 12 foot) long. Almost 100 metres of paper were used to make the boat.

A team of engineers made sure that the boat was safe by adding a keel made of wood underneath the boat as well as a polystyrene block into the supporting pyramid. The ridged paper in the base of the boat created a platform strong enough for someone to stand on.

The Big Bang Fair invited Morwenna Wilson, a direct descendent of Isambard Kingdom Brunel who is herself an award-winning engineer, to captain the boat on its maiden voyage.

Morwenna works for Argent in London as a mechanical engineer, and is currently leading several major projects at London King’s Cross Railway Station.

The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair takes place at NEC, Birmingham from 11-14 March 2015.