Mawj 3D Printed Chair by MEAN*

Mawj 3D Printed Chair is a 3D Printed Armchair commissioned by a private client and designed by MEAN (Middle East Architecture Network). ‘موج — Mawj’ The Arabic word for ‘Wave, undulate, crisp or ripple’ is a name that reflects the concept behind the design. The undulating patterns of the Aquamarine green surface is reminiscent of the waters of the Arabian Sea, at the shores of Dubai, the city where the chair was conceived. The chair investigates the possibilities of robotic 3D printing for designing and producing bespoke furniture.

Manufactured by Nagami, the design takes shape based on a continuous form, printed on its side with a thickness of just 6 mm, using advanced plastic polymers. The chair’s dimensions borrow from the proportions of the Eames Lounge Armchair, one of the most iconic modern chairs. Designed as a standalone interior design object, the chair is a statement as well as a distinctive piece of furniture. A sequence of design iterations form the shape of the chair using algorithmic design processes.

Designed for comfort, structural stability, and ergonomics, the chair is a prototype for using advanced methods of furniture design and manufacturing. A series of lines moving in space form the layers for 3D printing in one single layer, the lines progressively form Sine curves as they wrap around the form. On every other layer, the curve inverts to a negative value, generating a weaving pattern that makes larger rippling undulations on the surface.

The pattern aids in the structural stiffness, as well as creating a unique aesthetic feature, which naturally emerges as the result of the parametric modeling of the chair. Following a series of prototypes, careful attention to small details in the making of the chair develops the outcome. The pattern fades out towards the edges and intensifies at the top, avoiding areas where the back would rest. The pattern continuously wraps around the billowing surface, doubly curved for structural stability. Source by MEAN*.