Aug 13, 2016 | By Tess
Xuberance, the Shanghai-based design studio that last year unveiled two stunning 3D printed wedding dresses, has recently partnered with the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts to design and unveil a line of 3D printed furniture. The collection, which was guided by the theme “Designed in China, global manufacturing,” has once again demonstrated the amazing designs and pieces that can come from combining interior design and new manufacturing technologies like 3D printing.
The Furniture Design Studio at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts has been a pioneer for the incorporation of 3D printing into its educational program, teaching its students how to master 3D design and printing technologies to make the most of their creativity. For the recent furniture design project, the school teamed up with 3D printing design brand Xuberance to further expose the students to state-of-the-art 3D printing technologies. As part of the collaboration, Xuberance founder Mr. Steven MA offered his insight to the furniture design students to inspire them to push the limits of furniture design.
The results, as one can only imagine, were stunning. Among some of the more notable pieces were student Yang Zhuo Yi’s project aptly named “Edge”. Edge, which consisted of a 3D printed end table made from transparent unsaturated resin and iron, demonstrates the designer’s keen eye towards varying angles, both for aesthetic and functional purposes. The furniture piece, which measures 800 x 400 x 380mm, evokes the sense of a sort of futuristic, geometric cliff edge. The piece also pushes the boundaries of furniture in terms of its complicated internal structure, which was achieved with 3D design, and which can be seen in detail because of the table's transparent outer material. According to the designer, the transparent material was also meant to act as a virtual space to help explore unlimited thinking, effectively turning the furniture piece into a sort of sculptural art piece as well.
"Edge" by Yang Zhuo Yi
“Corner chair”, the pieces designed by Liu Zhijie, were made from a combination of materials including 3D printed nylon, chicken wing wood and white wax wood. The two chairs, which are distinguished by their different colored woods and their drastically different heights, were made by combining natural wood shapes with digitally designed and additively manufactured connecting pieces. In addition to their practical uses, the chairs are also notable for their complex structures, which could not have been achieved by hand. By using digital design, the student artist was able to combine more rigid natural wood shapes with traditionally impossible joint structures.
“Corner chair” by Liu Zhijie
Fellow student Li Xuanji designed an equally stunning coat rack called “All Things Grow”, which was made from a combination of natural Sapele wood and 3D printed nylon. The 3D printed coat rack, which also doubles as a lamp, was inspired by natural elements like trees and antlers, and evokes the feeling that it is growing out of the ground and flowing endlessly, like tree branches with no ending.
"All Things Grow" by Li Xuanji
Two other notable pieces include Liu Nian Fei’s “Empty” light, and Zhang Yue’s foldable screen called “Set Magic”. The former, a small table lamp, was made from 3D printed parts, brass, holographic glass, and a digital board and micro-computer. The piece is more than just a lamp however, as it was designed to forecast the weather through WiFi connectivity and display it through a holographic projection. The lamp's design was itself inspired by the atmosphere and the night's sky and is hoping to remind people to lead healthy and nature-friendly lives even within our fast paced urban environments. The small light, measuring 21 x 20 x 19cm, even resembles a cloud.
"Empty" by Liu Nian Fei
"Set Magic", which was made from 3D printed materials and painted beechwood, draws on traditional Chinese ornamentation but with a modern twist. The room divider screen is meant to connect China’s traditional past to its future through the combination of traditional wood and modern 3D printed elements. The piece, which is meant to provide a multi-dimensional sensory experience by combining 3D printed elements with a more 2D wood surface, effectively brings China's ancient traditions into a modern context in a harmonious and stylish way. "Set Magic" measures 202 x 259 x 4cm.
Each of the student’s innovative designs was made using industrial grade 3D printing technologies for optimal results.
"Set Magic" by Zhang Yue
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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