Arc Table
Molteni & Co, Milan, Italy, 2010-2010
Foster + Partners
Image Source: Brady Peters / Foster + Partners
The Arc Table was developed by Foster + Partners Product Design Group for Molteni. The Specialist Modeling Group worked closely on the project creating the digital tools to generate the form and link these design tools to the fabrication process. I wrote a computer program based on the structural dynamic relaxation algorithm of Dr. Chris Williams of the University of Bath. This form finding tool was used to generate many different table options. These options were then 3d printed using the office's rapid prototyping machines.
Image Source: Brady Peters / Foster + Partners
The generating script was constantly modified during the design process. The natural-looking curves of the form-found shape were generated by the algorithm, however, this algorithm was constantly adjusted to new design considerations. For example, the raised height of the centre of the table was achieved by adding a negative gravity to the structural nodes of the mesh. A separate complex algorithm was written to calculate the structural thickness of the surface.