Studio Plott’s 3D Printed Rugs Bring Eye-Catching Colors and Shapes to London Design Festival

From September 15th to 23rd runs the London Design Festival, a citywide showcase of fascinating creations from every aspect of design. Naturally, there’s going to be some 3D printing involved, and what Dutch design studio Studio Plott has to showcase is unusual indeed. The studio’s work is part of a special Dutch exhibit appropriately named Dutch Stuff, which features the work of 25 Netherlands-based design studios.

Studio Plott, based in Eindhoven, was founded by designers Rudi Boiten and Mirieille Burger. Their project, which is entitled Crossing Lines, features 3D printed polyamide rugs in a variety of triangular-type shapes. The rugs are available in 10 colors.

“The designs are a clear visualisation of our fascination with technology, traditional craft, geometric pattern, colour and shape,” the designers state. “Each pattern has its own playful interplay of lines where the open mesh arrangements and bright colours create a visual dialogue between the rugs and their underlying surfaces.”

Boiten and Burger are 2014 graduates of Design Academy; they founded the studio upon leaving the school. Together they have investigated the possibilities of digitally printed geometric patterns and surfaces, converting traditional techniques such as stitching, weaving and knitting to more modern technologies. They create their own machines to fabricate the textiles, depending on the needs of each project.

“The start of each project comes from a personal interest in cultures and crafts from an associated period, a way of life or environment,” the designers continue. “Intuitively we start with a sketch on a paper. With each drawing, a material, form, shape or pattern is visually associated. After which we design our own machine that can convert these drawings into a physical and realistic end product. After a period of constructing the machine, testing and responding to the first samples and prototypes, an interior product is finally is born. Even though it is made on a machine, it shows an ethnic and handmade look, supposedly looks like it is made by human hands.”

The Crossing Lines rugs do not look particularly as though they have been 3D printed; they could easily be mistaken for handmade items. They do, however, have a very modern look with their asymmetrical shapes. Several of the rugs can be put together to form new patterns, although most of them are large enough to be statement pieces on their own, as well.

The 3D printed Crossing Lines rugs are available from Studio Plott’s shop, starting at €950.

The Dutch Stuff exhibit features several rugs made in innovative ways, in fact. Designer Nina van Bart worked with Carpet Sign to create a series of rugs using a 3D tufting technique, while Studio Simone Post showcased upcycled rugs made from misprints and leftover fabric. Studio Ro Smit presented a series of seven rugs and blankets made in collaboration with craftspeople working at the Maartenhuis, a community for people with disabilities. Studio founder Roland Pieter Smit developed different kinds of yarn that were suited to people with different disabilities, along with new larger, simpler weaving frames.

London Design Festival will run until the end of the weekend.

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