Davis, MichaelPremier, AlessandroMulla, Sarosh2023-11-152023-11-15Stone prototype. Veronafiere, Verona, Italy, 26 Sep 2023 - 29 Oct 2023https://hdl.handle.net/2292/66572The research project proposed by the University of Auckland team is a furniture element generated from a conceptual design created using Unity Particle System Trails. It represents a fusion of the organic with the technology of a real-time 3D digital development platform, expressed in travertine, a building material with classical antecedents. At the heart of the project, presented at Marmomac 2023, is a question and exploration. Can the inner structure of bone – which provides critical support and strength to the human skeleton – be transposed and transformed into an architectural element? Conceived as an assembly of 3D-printed components, the goal of ‘Particle-Trail’ is to exploit new technologies of subtractive manufacturing to design and fabricate furniture that can be built in natural stone, re-using any manufacturing waste generated in subsequent projects, for a more circular approach. The conceptual design is based on an approximation of the internal structure of cancellous or spongy bone, as observed through a Scanning Electron Micrograph. While compact bone makes up the hard exterior of bone, cancellous bone – characterised by its honeycomb-like structure – forms part of the interior structure of long bones and ribs, the skull, pelvic bones and vertebrae. A small portion of these small, coral-like, honeycomb structures became the foundation for the creation of particles in Unity. Through complex manipulation to explore possibilities for transformation, we created an architectural element able to function as a new model of support. Through algorithmic shaping, our cancellous structure became an arch-shaped object, which was then realised in ‘Particle-Trail’ as two arch-shaped structures – equal but opposite – the supporting structure of a table. As a modular architectural furniture element, its potential is to be scaled for use in different contexts and scenarios, providing a structure of support for the creation of varied and distinct architectural objects.1Stone prototypeItems in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.Te images used in the journal comply with the practice of fair use (Copyright Act 17U.S.C. 107) implemented in Italy by Article 70 of the Copyright Law, which allow them to be used for the purposes of criticism, teaching and scientific research for non-commercial purposes.https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htmExhibition2023-10-08Copyright: The authorshttp://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess