Vi: NENDO Studios
NENDO is a design studio founded by architect and designer Oki Sato.
The reason why I chose NENDO is because of MAD Museum's exhibition, Materializing the Postdigital, mentioned from a previous presentation. A NENDO work is showcased there that I initially regarded as just stones, but reading its description it's actually 3D printed paper. In its description, it states the process:
"A small container created using a 3D printer that cuts, stacks and pastes sheets of paper one by one. We finished the surface with lacquer. The lacquer adhered thickly to the edges of the accumulated paper, and pulled at the paper’s surface, resulting in a mysterious texture like wood grain."
Founded in 2002, his design studio has delved into many different art forms, from product design to furniture design to installation work, depending on the wide range of clientele.
One of my favorite works from them is the paperbrick. Printed and cut out from paper but with the perspective and texture of wooden blocks. NENDO website notes,
"A set of paper blocks designed for an insert in Japanese lifestyle magazine Pen. Readers can create a pseudo-3D object by stacking tricolor blocks that seem three-dimensional. There’s no danger the blocks will collapse, so it’s possible to make ‘impossible’ forms that defy gravity and play with shade and perspective. Paper-brick can also be enjoyed as a puzzle: if put together carefully, the blocks stack into one large cube. 3D-CAD is about creating virtual three -dimensional forms on a two-dimensional screen surface. This toy aims to translate the concept of 3D-CAD into analog form."
Video links:
50projects_25objects http://vimeo.com/33342291
shivering bowls http://vimeo.com/54103095
growing vases http://vimeo.com/30852099
scatter shelf http://vimeo.com/29187725
interview with oki sato http://vimeo.com/29837778