An Army of Genetically Modified 3D Printed Vases ‘GeMo’ Launches on Kickstarter

Building on the possibilities for variation and personalization that are being recognized as one of the hallmark features of digital design and production, the group behind GeMo is working to create 500 unique, but related vases. The members of this squadron of objects are each generated by an algorithm that creates modifications in each design.

The vases are a product of the collaboration between designers Mehran Gharleghi and Amin Sadeghy, co-founders of the London based Studio Integrate. They began by exploring some of the fundamental geometries present in vernacular Middle Eastern design and transforming them by merging them together. The algorithm that they developed in order to create these pieces uses repetition, rotation, and symmetry as principles for the combination and generation of more complex forms.

The designers’ aim is to produce hundreds of these vases for exhibition. In preparation, the pair has run a number of test pieces and experimented with a variety of materials from painted steel to ceramics, from nylon to resin and now, Gharleghi says, “the whole army is ready, but they’re in the computer. We need them to be born.”

Not every form generated by the algorithm is fit for printing.  About 10% of those generated have a center of gravity that will not allow the object to balance. However, with 500 designs ready for print, I doubt the others will be missed.

To find those who could act as mid-wife to this moment of creation, Studio Integrate turned to Kickstarter to raise £10,000 (or approximately $17,150) for further refinement and printing. A contribution to their project doesn’t just disappear, however, their ultimate ideal is to have a sponsor for each vase that will then become the object’s permanent owner after the conclusion of the exhibition.

The vases will be printed in 3 sizes

Studio Integrate has a history of geometric exploration through 3D printing. In other words, this isn’t a couple of guys who want to learn 3D printing with someone else’s money. They have produced a body of work including highly articulated and intricately complex geometric acrobatics in a variety of settings and scales.  They have been the recipients of a number of awards for designs, such as their Flux Table, and have developed a recognizable aesthetic.

The Flux Table

They bring to their design a deep interest in the design history of the Middle East, a mastery of digital design and fabrication, and a highly refined design sensibility. This duo is a force to be reckoned with in the world of contemporary design.

The limited edition vases are available as rewards for support through July 31st, and the exhibit is set to open, at, an as yet undisclosed location in London, in September.  Are you considering backing this project?  Let us know in the GeMo forum thread on 3DPB.com.