This Ornate 3D-Printed Chair Made Using Generative Design Can Fold Down Flat

By Alexandra Alexa From Core77

Patrick Jouin’s latest prototype pushes the process to new limits

Industrial designer Patrick Jouin has been using 3D printing in his designs for years but his latest prototype, which launched during Milan Design Week, pushes the material process to new limits. Inspired by origami and nature, the TAMU chair was developed in partnership with Dassault Systèmes and despite the avant-garde look of the lacy web patterns, the real innovation comes from its ability to fold down almost entirely flat.

Early models of the chair deployed a hinged panel structure that would allow the chair’s base to fold down easily, almost like a piece of fabric. Dassault Systèmes brought their generative design software to the mix, allowing Jouin to optimize the structure and create the elaborate pattern inspired by structures found in nature. The emphasis was on using as little material as possible. The final result weighs a little over five pounds.

Jouin is still working on bringing the prototype to market. Ideally, the chair would be made with one continuous 48-hour 3D print, but it’s not quite there yet. In Milan, the team had to individually print 1,643 components and assemble the final product by hand.

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