Land+Living: FRONT : Sketch Furniture

DesignBOT, Designers — October 27, 2006 Posted by Adriean

Good on the first take

Swedish design group FRONT are continuing their fine form with their latest project Sketch Furniture.

Is it possible to let a first sketch become an object, to design directly onto space?

The four FRONT members have developed a method to materialise free hand sketches. They make it possible by using a unique method where two advanced techniques are combined.

Pen strokes made in the air are recorded with Motion Capture and become 3D digital files; these are then materialised through Rapid Prototyping into real pieces of furniture.

The ladies of FRONT will be doing a live demonstration of this process over at Tokyo Design Week (October 31st to November 5th).

More images and video after the jump.

Link: FRONT

19 comments

Comments (19)

phonetics — October 31, 2006
sketching?

so the whole process is shortened into a rough sketch and then a product? That doesn't give the concept much time to evolve does it? Or has design become something so vulgar and thoughtless that anyone can just sketch and materialize it? It makes me want to quit product design altogether... Thanks...

Adriean — November 1, 2006
you're right but......

I see your point 'phonetics', i'd be abit bitter if I were someone who spends endless hours developing a concept only to be upstaged by a process such as this. But you have to remember that FRONT is abit of an unconventional group that tries to seems to create projects outside the normal design / development process. To be honest I almost consider them artists as opposed to designers, but that's a whole other conversation. I like this process that they've developed as it can easily become a worthwhile tool to designers when presenting concepts to a client. Though i'm not sure how feasable it would be to incorporate such a process into a budget at the moment, but I can really see this develop further and become a staple in the design process.

john — November 5, 2006
music?

Bravo. And what is the music?

Jesse — November 6, 2006
Design

Wonderful beginning to a new process of design. I agree that in its stages right now, the design can seem somewhat harsh. With some work, I feel this would be a great tool for design in many different realms...Even as just a starting point for the scale of a product, then translated into computer software for editing

Przemek — November 6, 2006

I'm pretty sure the music is by MuM Islandic group, look them up, the u has a ' above it in some cases in case you have a hard time finding it

Przemek — November 6, 2006

here http://mumweb.net/

duncan nicholson — November 7, 2006
big deal

Again,more Arky's drawing without thinking. One has to have an idea first. You don't draw something and then beat it into something better, you thing of the better first and then draw it. NEWSFLASH: The brain can actually visualize 3d objects! And that is where the sifting of relevant facts are kept or discarded when conjuring the IDEA!!!

Anonymous — November 7, 2006
big deal indeed

I've seen clients that had no clue how to visualize 3d objects. Though most designers are capable of that, not everyone is able to do so. BTW...what's an Arky anyway ??

back — November 8, 2006

Why would anyone want visualize furniture that looks so elementary? As a designer I have worked hard to evolve from such primitive forms. Great concept- horrible end product...

Anonymous — November 8, 2006

I think the critics are missing the point. It's all about the process.

decor8 Holly — November 9, 2006
How cool!

Great post A! How are you anyway??? I hope you are well! Holly

Gerry Celaya — November 10, 2006
Looks pretty, but...

I'm sure a better practicle application(s) will be developed. Looks like great sculpture, but I wouldn't want so sit through dinner in one of those chairs!

Mohamed — November 11, 2006
the point

most of you guys are missing the point, it is to help create something that would be great, but the furniture does look really cool when they come out as 3d furniture. brilliant concept...can't wait to see if it will be commercialised

Patricia McClintock — November 12, 2006
Added info

Would like more info on this group and their process. very interesting and liberating approach to design development

B. — December 8, 2006
Video Removed?

Why is the video no longer accessible?

Anonymous — December 12, 2006
insulting

contrived

Dom — December 19, 2006
quite the opposite

I think it's as far from contrived as possible. It's about as raw as you can get. Maybe those who are so insulted by this sort of thing SHOULD quit? Think of it as turning the hand gestures you use to describe something to someone straight into concrete objects. It also has the added effects of introducing a possible new aesthetic and showing at once just how crude and refined our gesticulations can actually be.

Maria — August 22, 2008
Music

Music is a danish band called Hess is More. check it out

Silke Fehse — January 25, 2010
Designer

Look inside of the Journal from "Beauty Forum" Jun/2005 S.15 and you see the original Design. Front is a copy, sorry. Look in this Journal. Die Cosmetic-Fachzeitschrift für Europa Ihre Idee Ihr Wunschziel Silke Fehse Sorry