Parametric Design for an Outdoor Bench

Abstract

This paper describes the parametric design process of a piece of furniture, examining its positive and negative experiences. The research has focused on the concept of parametric design, its initial endeavors and the contemporary experiments of renowned designers. Information gathering played a crucial role in compiling the requirements concerning functionality, load capacity, size, design and style. Our aim was to create a modular communal outdoor bench that can be varied according to needs, establishing a connection between the space and its users, and bearing special aesthetic value both in its form and surface design. An important consideration was that the experimental furniture should be made from environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials. The parametric form required a surface texture different from the traditional, thus elements of Penrose tiling were placed at the center of the design, which connects to parametricism in a special way both mathematically and in terms of design history. The Penrose patterns defined the character of the furniture. The article also shows the visual designs and a 3D printed mock-up. The further development of this bench primarily lies in software development, enabling the generation of new patterns.