mechaneu v1 3D printed spherical gear system kinetic sculpture

‘mechaneu v1’ 3D-printed spherical gear system kinetic sculpture by proxy design studio
all images courtesy proxy design studio

‘mechaneu v1’ is the first in a series of kinetic, 3D printed objects by new york-based proxy design studio. developed to explore the limits of 3D printing as an art form, the miniature sculptures feature an elaborate network of 64 interlocking gears and support structures. created in a one-shot fabrication process, the artifacts were produced with sophisticated 3D modeling tools and custom algorithms that reference cellular growth patterns, giving the object its porous form. spin one gear and the entire sphere is catalyzed with rotation. ‘nature solves many problems through shape alone, using material only where needed and taking out where unnecessary,’ explains toru hasegawa, a designer and partner at proxy design studio. ‘this is a strategy you find over and over in the natural world, leading to complex geometries such as bone structures. we used this same logic on every part of the mechaneu to create a porous object that feels completely solid.’

mechaneu v1
video courtesy proxy design

the miniature sculptures feature an elaborate network of 64 interlocking gears and support structures

the artifacts were produced with sophisticated three-dimensional modeling tools and custom algorithms

spin one gear and the entire sphere is catalyzed with rotation