3DIY: Furniture Hacks

Lauren Slowik

An Ikea hacking kit made of 3D printed, customizable modules to aid the cause of the Citizen Designer

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3DIY is an exploration into the range of functions that a consumer 3D printer can perform. It takes shape as an Ikea furniture hacking kit. A DIY system in a sense, the Ikea build-it-yourself environment is the perfect opportunity to introduce a functional scenario to the consumer 3D printer repertoire. 3DIY will be distributed as a 3D model plugin download. Not unlike how home sewers learn to sew from patterns the design plugins will introduce the user to 3D hacking with projects that range from easy, medium and difficult. Rapid customization is what makes 3D printers subvert their own purpose amid a world of exactitude and replication. When a consumer 3D printer is employed at the DIY design level the machine rejects its built‑in implication of efficiency and replicability in favor of the idiosyncratic and personal.

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About

Lauren Slowik

Lauren was raised Pittsburgh and studied film, photography and art history in college. She is looking forward to having her MFA D+T. Since moving to New York eight years ago, Lauren has worked for Apple, Etsy.com, MoMA, the United Nations, and Rippers Burger Shack in the Rockaways. In addition to video, photography, web, and furniture design specialities, Lauren used to be a freelance fashion designer and tailor to a couple semi-famous people, almost completely by accident. Lauren lives in Brooklyn with her cat who lives in the house next door (long story).

Faculty

Thesis Studio

  • Colleen Macklin

Writing and Research

  • Barbara Morris