The study of nature and the search to apply its infallible rules, shaped by millennia of trials to find maximum efficiency, inspire all the work of the designer of the Radiolaria chair: a 1:1 scale 3D printed prototype composed solely of recycled PA12 that reproduces the perfection of unicellular microorganisms from which it also takes its name
Successor to designer Lilian van Daal's graduation project, Biomimicry Soft Seating (2014), the one for Radiolaria optimizes processes and materials, reducing them to just one that manages to guarantee all the necessary characteristics for a comfortable seat: flexibility, adaptability, firmness, and stability
Radiolaria is 3D printed by Oceanz, which with its cutting-edge machines allows to create these structures that mimic nature for durability, flexibility, and microscopic connectivity. The result is a blend of technology, design, and nature that enhances the best of each field. The research on new materials conducted by Oceanz has allowed the designer to use recyclable materials and, thanks to project optimizations that enable the printing of all elements in a single cycle, energy consumption is reduced by 50%
The structure of the chair is inspired by the microorganisms Radiolaria and Bryozoa. The former are single-celled organisms of oceanic zooplankton and owe their name to the radial symmetry of their skeleton. The designer discovers that this structure, amplified by 3D printing, allows flexibility and comfort while avoiding the foams typically used to provide softness to seats. Bryozoa are mosses that live in tropical waters and freshwater environments, whose network of connections within their skeletons inspired Lilian van Daal to create a connection system for chair assembly that does not require additional materials or glue
