Stratasys is showcasing a unique 3D printed chair designed by the late Zaha Hadid, with Patrick Schumacher, at a retrospective of Hadid’s work in Venice. The 10-room exhibition, set to run until November 27 as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale, celebrates the life and works of the world-renowned architect, who passed away earlier this year.
Since the development of the original 3D printed prototype in 2014, the chair has been featured in various exhibitions and museums around Europe and has continued to be a representation of Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) commitment to 3D printing. “We are always looking to research new design and manufacturing methods with the explicit intention of ‘scaling up’ for applications in the construction industry,” commented Shajay Bhooshan, Associate, ZHA. “3D printed design projects such as this collaboration with Stratasys are of significant importance for the wider industry. The 3D printed chair epitomizes the bi-directional influence between technology and the way we design that we are always striving to create.”
As Naomi Kaempfer, Creative Director for Art Fashion Design, Stratasys, explained: “The Zaha Hadid retrospective in Venice provides an opportunity for us all to pay tribute to the iconic, award-winning architect. Zaha Hadid is undoubtedly the greatest female architect of our time. We are honored to have collaborated with her and her team of extraordinary architects. Together with her partner, Patrick Schumacher, Zaha pioneered a revolution in the world of architecture and design. She defined parametricism and created a unique signature style that engages and inspires creativity around the world.
3D printed CHAIR by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid and Patrick Schumacher in collaboration with STRATASYS, 3D printed on the Stratasys Objet1000 Multi-Material 3D Printer.
3D printed CHAIR by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid and Patrick Schumacher in collaboration with STRATASYS, 3D printed on the Stratasys Objet1000 Multi-Material 3D Printer.
Developed specifically to explore the possibilities of multi-color, multi-material 3D printing, the starting point for ZHA was to design a relatively lightweight chair that made use of its geometry, detailing and manufacture to highlight and improve its performance. Investigating the design potentials of the structural optimization process, ZHA considered the loading condition of a person sitting down and used the optimization results to create a structural pattern that deploys material density and depth where structurally required.
Watch the evolution of the chair in the video below.
With the advanced capabilities of Stratasys’ large format Objet1000 Multi-material 3D Printer, the designers were then able to translate these structural elements into the design. Stratasys was able to 3D print the chair using gradations of color and opacity, from clear transparent to opaque cyan, to represent the structural performance of each area of the chair.
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