14 DAY TRIAL // Architecture usually has to do with the building of, well, buildings, but Aleksandrina Rizova drew on her knowledge and experience in that domain to create one of the coolest pieces of furniture ever.
True, landscaping does have a fair bit to do with architecture, to the point that many consider it a sub-segment of architecture itself.
But there's still a difference between choosing furniture and baubles in accordance to a design theme, and creating those items according to principles used in building design and construction.
Nevertheless, that is what a London-based architectural designer and associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University has done.
The 3D printed walnut table
Aleksandrina Rizova specialized in digital fabrication, you could say. In keeping with that passion, she adapted the concept of what she calls transitional fields and turned it into a support structure for the table itself.
Sure, she didn't have the additive manufacturing expertise needed to do everything herself, but it's not like she tried to go solo anyway.
Instead, she contacted the people at 3DPrintUK, who agreed to help her 3D print her idea, or at least what passes for its legs.
The result was a tabletop made of milled walnut wood supported by a very intricately interconnected set of three legs, as you can see in the photo gallery.
How the process went
Aleksandrina Rizova visited the 3DPrintUK studio and printed a few test pieces, which was pretty cheap since that's the point of prototyping, especially when it's just the material strength and general look you're trying to figure out. Then the studio printed variations from 1 mm to 5 mm thick.
Once she had the balance between look and strength that she wanted, Rizova produced the final CAD design, which the 3DPrintUK people printed for her.
In the end, there were seven pieces made in 3 sessions on an EOS P100 SLS nylon 3D printer. They were created over a period of one week. The tabletop was the only thing not printed. Instead it was CNC milled by 3DCNC.
Availability and pricing
Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any plans for marketing this intricate and beautiful coffee table, which is a shame. Maybe Aleksandrina Rizova will take some commissions though, if you word the request politely enough. No doubt the 3DPrintUK folks will be more than willing to help out again, as long as they are getting paid for their services.
