Senior Showcase
Challenge: pursue any passion project, but utilize 3D scanning somehow
Type: solo project
Duration: 9 weeks
Tools used: DLC camera, 2D to 3D conversion software, Solidworks, Meshmixer, 3D printer, laser cutter, resin
tonbo
a coffee table digitally scanned, manipulated, and manufactured starting from a real dragonfly specimen. printed in lightweight carbon fiber with a resin surface. traditional Japanese washi paper was inspiration for the wing design inlay.
rice is one of Japan’s most staple crops. to grow, it requires the same water habitat as the dragonfly. the dragonfly is often depicted on harvest festival décor, and associated with the nostalgia of growing up in a community tied to the land.
蜻蛉
Getting started
Digital input, digital output. That was the theme of my senior semester studio course. With limitless possibility and minimal guidelines, I set out to complete my undergraduate education with one last amazing project. The only rule; use 3D scanning technology.
Concept refinement
My project started off as an exploration on insects. How can I use these technologies to explore the intricate forms of different bugs? Originally I didn't have any real direction. It was only after I had scanned some specimens, that I saw the opportunity to play with scale. If I take this model, and blow it up, what does it become?
Final product
After weeks of CAD, I created "tonbo," a coffee table digitally scanned, manipulated, and manufactured from a real dragonfly specimen. The organic base is taken right from the original scan, manipulated to create table legs, as well as a storage compartment for books or remotes. The top is resin, poured onto the irregular surface of the insect, with a delicate golden wing design inlayed in the middle.
