3D-printed gradient furniture collection by Philipp Aduatz

Here is Philipp Aduatz’s 3D printed gradient furniture collection, in collaboration with the Austrian manufacturer incremental3d.

3D concrete printing is a new and innovative fabrication technology that allows for the rapid printing of very large and complex structures in construction and design. The benefits stem not only from environmental and economic considerations (no extensive mold production is required) but also from new aesthetic qualities.

incremental3d is currently investigating concrete dyeing as part of a research project. The strategy is to apply dye directly into the nozzle during the printing process, reducing workload, waste, and time delay. This enables a colored design in concrete to be applied locally point by point rather than globally, as was previously only possible.

Incremental3d collaborated with designer Philipp Aduatz to further develop its technology through the application of developed research in product design. They collaborated on a new set of gradient furniture such as benches, a chair, and a large vase. They developed an approach to exercise the design process throughout 3D concrete printing by using a gradient and exploring possible shapes through an interactive working method.

Another challenge for this project’s product development was to create a suitable reinforcement technology to provide the load capacity for the design language. Concrete is a material with low tensile strength by nature; therefore, it should be reinforced. A customized semi-automatic strategy was developed in this case.

An image gradient refers to the change of intensity of color within an image. In image processing, the gradient of an image is one of the fundamental building blocks.

Designer statement about the gradient:” For many years, I have been obsessed with the concept of a gradient which reflects elegance and harmony to me. I believe that the gradient is, in regard to the perception of the environment and its digital reflection, a fundamental design principle. It has a mathematical aesthetic and precision that I have always been admiring. With this project, I want to combine the design of the gradient with different functional objects by the use of innovative fabrication technologies.” said Philipp Aduatz.

Subdivision modeling, a computer graphics technique that generates a surface by representing a coarser polygonal mesh using a recursive algorithmic method, served as both inspiration and a tool for the design of the Gradient Vase.

The polygonal mesh that serves as a functional limit and inner mesh is visible on one half of the Gradient Vase. The other half depicts the curved surface created by iteratively subdividing the polygonal faces into smaller faces until the coarse mesh transforms into a smooth and elegant surface.