Project: Plantolith
Design:
Marjan Colletti
3D
silica sand print 1700/1000/200mm, approx. 250kg, produced for and exhibited at
the 3D Printshow 2013 at The Business Design Centre, London UK
Sponsoring and fabrication: ExOne Digital Part Materialization
Sponsoring and fabrication: ExOne Digital Part Materialization
Photography:
Marjan Colletti
Exhibited: 3D Printshow London 2013
Exhibited: 3D Printshow London 2013
In
geometric terms, plants and monoliths stand at the opposite sides of the
spectrum. The first are growing, complex, multi-layered and convoluted systems,
whilst the latter are static, homogeneous, heavy objects. Digital modelling
techniques and 3D printing technologies allow the hybridization of the two. The
Plantolith represents such a possible geometric hybrid. On the one hand,
the complex, multi-layered geometry imitates, simulates and mimics natural
processes, blurring the boundaries between tectonic elements and natural forms.
On the other hand, all elements are fused together to achieve a printable file
to be processed by a large-scale 3D Rapid-Prototyping machine, which produced
this unique piece (due to its size and aesthetics) as a large, uni-material
monolith out of silica sand. This is an additive manufacturing process, which
chemically binds material, layer by layer, into the final shape.
