Nov 26, 2015 | By Benedict
When picturing a city skyline populated by towers, a number of places might come to mind: New York; Hong Kong; Tokyo… the list of skyscraper-populated metropolises goes on. But skyscrapers constitute just one category of towers. The Leaning Tower of Pisa, standing (crookedly) at around one fourteenth of the height of the Burj Khalifa, remains one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and there are numerous other historical structures around the world with their own unique style and form. Some towers have neither historical nor cultural significance, but perform their own unique function without celebration or decoration. From air traffic control towers, to water towers, to bell towers, tower blocks and totem poles, towers are everywhere. Wide Open Arts recognize the beauty of towers, and will be creating a massive city of 3D printed towers in celebration of the vertical structures. The collective plans to compile the city from user-submitted 3D printed tower designs, ranging from the historical, to the imaginary, to the everyday.
“We are in search of contemporary, modern and ancient towers; industrial or religious; fantastical or utilitarian; brutalist or gothic…from air traffic control towers to bell towers to tower blocks and sky scrapers,” said a Wide Open Arts spokesperson. “Imaginary cities and surreal structures have long been the domain of many outsider artists. This exhibition aims to create a collective multi-authorial installation that descends from the Fluxus mail art movement.”
Wide Open Arts is looking for designers to submit their own 3D printable buildings, which will be judged by independent artist and curator, Leah Gordon, to be exhibited at the forthcoming Outsider Art Fair, which will take place in New York City between January 21-24, 2016. Due to material restrictions, towers must be structurally sound, and not contain too many overhangs or thin areas—just like real buildings, come to think of it. The full list of submission requirements can be found on this page. The best designs will be passed on to Williamsburg, New York based 3D printing studio Voodoo Manufacturing, which will 3D print every tower of the AM city. The vertically imperious 3D printed municipality will then be exhibited at the fair early next year.
As fans of both architecture and (obviously) 3D printing, we can’t wait to see how the bustling 3D printed city turns out. And who knows, perhaps it won’t be long before real skyscrapers are built using 3D printing technology, perhaps Voodoo Manufacturing will spearhead the movement, and perhaps the Wide Open Arts’ 3D printed city will be replicated in full on a larger scale. Designers can submit their 3D tower designs from now until December 15th. Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, January 1st, and each tower will be available to buy at the fair in order to help cover 3D printing costs. The fair will take place between January 21-24, 2016.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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