Soft Gradient Chair (2014)
The first chair in the microstructures series was called the Soft Gradient Chair and elaborates on the use of polyurethane in furniture design, but now in the digital age. It was designed and 3D printed in thermoplastic polyurethane. Using generative design tools and new material research, we basically created foam that is engineered on a cellular level to address specific functional needs for different areas in the object. The solid cells in the design create structural strength and rigidity, while the more open cells create softness and comfort, all within one printing technique.
The Soft Gradient Chair is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Milwaukee Art Museum.
(photocredits: JL & Adriaan de Groot)