A Polymorphic Bench

With a budget of only $1,000 some students of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation designed a polymorphic, kinetic bench that forms to the need of very user, maximizing comfort and functionality. The unique form of the bench is made possible by digital fabrication: each segment is uniquely cut out of plywood complete with specific wholes for the joins. Again, a perfect project for 3D printing! If the occasion comes, a new bench is expandable, depending on available material sources and ready to be adjusted to suit contextual requirements of various environments.

“Two simple connections not only provide the stability of the bench, but moderate the movement of each individual section as it reacts to applied forces. The first is a sliding bolt connection, which acts as a restraint between sections, controlling the displacement allowed to be carried over from adjacent sections. The second is an elastic connection, which is a typical rubber band that gives the bench its “springy” quality while providing lateral stability to the installation as a whole.”

Watch a video of the project here.

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