SPLINE SOFA - 11.30.2022 - Miami, FL
Thehighkey collaborated with visual artist Vickie Vainionpaato to bring one of her paintings to life. The Spline Sofa is the 100th piece in “Soft Body Dynamics,” a series of twisting forms procedurally generated by an AI in 3D software.
This unique spline was scaled up to become a functional object at the scale of micro architecture. The irregular shape of the Spline Sofa creates both flat and vertical surfaces serving as seats for up to 5 users. This piece represents the direct translation of a digital form into a physical object.
The distinctive coloration of the piece was achieved through robotic circular knitting. A continuous gradient was converted into a stitch map to create the transition from pink to lilac to blue over 36 feet of fabric. This project is the first of its kind to utilize knitting in the production of a physical gradient of this size.
The Spline Sofa is a truly digital work. From its AI origins to its use of robotic fabrication, this piece represents a new fabrication paradigm, one that directly translates abstract concepts into real material.
CREDITS
Client - Vickie Vainionpää
Fabrication - Byborre, Art Upholstery
Photography - The Hole