www.3ders.org

Dec 16, 2014 | By Alec

Earlier this year, we've reported on an interesting exhibition by Dutch designer Joris Laarman at the Friedman Benda gallery in New York. Laarman's exhibition included numerous of interesting designs revolving around the themes of digital fabrication and generative design tools, and relied on CNC mills and 3D printers.

While already turning heads at the time, one of his creations has now been donated to the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (the State Museum Amsterdam, the largest museum of the Netherlands) by a private donor. The piece in question is the inspiring Makerschair Hexagon, possibly the first open-source 3D printable chair in the world. That's right, you can now recreate your very own museum piece! The necessary files can be downloaded from the artist's website for free, and consist of a series of STL files and an assembly guide.

The chair you can construct with the downloadable files.

Once finished, your chair will consist of exactly 77 separate black and white pieces that can be relatively easily assembled. While Laarman relied on Ultimaker 3D printers and ColorFabb XT Copolyester filament to create his works of art, you can recreate this chair with just about any type of FDM desktop printer and filament you have available. Chances are it will be the most artistic, and cheapest, chair in your whole home.

The design is fully in-line with the artist's 'Bits and Parts' project, which aims to: 'utilize small 3dprinters and cnc milling machines to fabricate full size affordable furniture available to all. By dividing designs into many small parts we were able to radically expand the potential of small consumer 3d printers and cnc milling machines. The 3D printed parts can be assembled into a piece of furniture like a three dimensional puzzle.'

His project is thus about both affordability and about exploring the possibilities of 3D printing technology. Laarman explained that it was largely borne out of frustration with the 3D printing world. 'People tend to bullshit a lot about 3D printing. Everyone's claiming the sky's the limit, but end up making a little flute or a bunch of toys'.

Artist Joris Laarman's office.

That the Makerschair Hexagon is far more than art has been clearly proven by the museum's willingness to incorporate it into their collection. Curator Ludo van Halem explained that the museum's edition has been made from imposing walnut hardwood, and has been unveiled as part of a new exhibition on modern innovative art.

Watch the chair being printed here:

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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