.MGX Design products

 
In 2004, Materialise.MGX started a project with French designer Patrick Jouin, who had discovered the Rapid Prototyping techniques Selective Laser Sintering and Stereolithography, as they were developed and used by Materialise. This encounter lead to SOLID, an amazing collection of self-produced furniture designs, which are the result of Patrick Jouin's research into the possibilities and qualities of these stunning techniques. Up till now, the RP techniques had only been used for small-scaled models in plastic, but together with Materialise.MGX, Patrick Jouin is now taking the entire process to another level, previously unheard of. This collection shows the endless possibilities and the great potential that lies in these remarkable manufacturing techniques as they have been developed by Materialise NV. Pieces and forms that were previously impossible to build by any mould, can now be produced on a large scale.

The entire SOLID collection is designed with the RP techniques in mind. Patrick Jouin first focussed on the material itself. Once this was mastered, he started reflecting on how the qualities of the material, together with the techniques, could evolve into the object. For the table base, SOLID T1 and the chairs SOLID C1 and SOLID C2, Patrick Jouin opted for the RP technique Stereolithograpy. The forms of the table base, SOLID T1, and chair, SOLID C2, are reminiscent of blades of grass or ribbons waving in the wind and weaving together.The second chair, SOLID C1, is based on a random, 2 dimensional pattern that is taken to a 3 dimensional level. SOLID S1, Jouin's stool, is fabricated with the RP technique Selective Laser Sintering. The primary structure of the stool is a solid bone-like configuration of forms that supports the secondary structure of the object, which takes the shape and feel of intertwining roots.