Binary Furniture: Interactive Public Exhibit
A popular engineering toy from the 1960s was the inspiration behind this cutting-edge binary process. It was developed to offer visitors the ability to easily design and manufacture their own 3D Printed contemporary furniture without the specialist skills generally associated with the process.
Create Your Own Furniture
The binary process worked by expanding the mathematical principles of the 1960s engineering tool, the spirograph and adding a third dimension. It was first showcased at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts in Gateshead, UK where the bright orange digital desk was located and allowed visitors to the gallery the ability to create their own 3D files.
Visitors to the binary event were able to draw their digital spirals directly into the binary desk where a computer program tracked the spirals’ data creation, gathering info on speed, time and pressure to produce a unique digital spiral.
The spiral shape produced the unique table surface and the collected data determined the leg height, depth and overall structure of the object. The limitless nature of the spirals’ creation means that no two tables can be the same.
The binary software could be reconfigured to produce a wide range of products.
Bespoke 3D Files
Once a design was completed the final 3D computer generated model was displayed on screen and the 3D file then stored onto the Cohda server. A password to locate the file file was printed by the interactive desk for the creator to download at a later date.
Over 400 unique product files were created at the first event.
Print Your Product
Once the table files were downloaded they could be 3D printed via various processes, with many being printed by our partner FOC (Freedom of Creation) in SLS.
The project was supported by: Arts Council UK, FOC, Newcastle University (Culture Lab), Sunderland University AMAP, Design Event, Wacom.
Key Expertise
Data integration
Software development
Large format SLA 3D printing
Product design
User experience
Exhibit and set design
Mechanical engineering
Electrical engineering
Prototyping