With the advent of 3D printing, everyday objects in our lives suddenly acquired a new dimension so to speak. From mass-production, we move to DIY. No longer are we dependent on the whims of designers and manufacturers. The promise of 3D printing is that it empowers people (the well-heeled, at least) with the ability to create something unique and wonderful right at the comfort of their own homes.
BigRep’s ONE 3D printer is big enough to print a standard-size furniture. As long as you have $39,000 to spare.
Take furniture for example. Now that the technology is capable of producing large and sturdy pieces, 3D creations aren’t confined anymore to the small, whimsical, and decorative (i.e. food, trinkets, fashion items, etc.) Furniture—with all its requirements for load-bearing and structural strength—can now be 3D printed.
Just as we pour copious attention to the design and architecture of our homes and buildings, we do the same to the detail and ergonomics of our furniture. Which makes 3D printing all the more welcome. As 3D printing becomes both more sophisticated and easier, we’ll be able to create those highly-individualized, one-of-a-kind furniture we insist on filling all our gorgeous spaces with.
Brave New Furniture
Even renowned designer Philippe Starck’s new furniture venture called TOG is exploring the many virtues of 3D printing, letting customers customize their own furniture. From static, run-of-the-mill pieces, he hopes 3D printing will result in furniture choices that are flexible, anti-trend, and truly personalized.
Slug Seat by Rael San Fratello Architects. It’s easy to spot the 3D printed furniture: they’re eclectic, out of this world, and nearly impossible for traditional machines to replicate.
Nowadays, designers aren’t content with just making furniture that’s comfortable and functional—it has to be intuitive too—whether that’s shape-shifting furniture that change according to demand, or furniture that’s hooked to the Internet of Things. Some choose the classic and traditional route, opting for hand-made furniture that’s made from reclaimed materials.
Green and Sustainable Furniture
Style and functionality have always gone hand in hand in furniture design. But in the age of green buildings, one more asset needs to be taken care of: sustainability.
3D printing might be touted as green, but as of now, price and speed are still two main issues preventing it from becoming mainstream. For the meanwhile, we still make do with traditional machines and processes for manufacturing objects.
Furniture making can have considerable carbon footprint. The sourcing of raw materials such as sustainably-harvested wood or organic fibers, a preference for recycled materials, water usage, the various chemicals used such as glues, dyes, paint, finishes, etc., as well as the packaging and transportation all add up to a bigger picture of whether that lovely chaise longue is sustainable furniture or not.
More importantly, when sustainable furniture is manufactured in the strictest sense of being green—no toxic chemicals—it contributes to the overall health of a building’s occupants.
Furniture companies are now more aware of their role in the green building, and are making the appropriate green choices. In turn, various certification bodies such as GREENGUARD, KRAV, FSC, and a whole lot others have sprung up to monitor the eco-friendly claims of those furniture as well as other products. It’s up to consumers now to let their dollars speak by buying sustainable furniture. When we support well-meaning companies, we encourage them and others just starting out to be the greenest that they can be.
It makes sense to carefully choose what goes into our furniture in the same way that we choose the materials which make up our LEED-worthy homes and buildings.
