Jamie Dorst Looking Outward 03

For this week’s Looking Outward post, I decided to write about a project called Zero/Fold Screen made in 2010 by a design studio called Matsys.

Zero/Fold Screen–a light filtering undulating wooden screen.
A different view of Zero/Fold Screen, showing its interesting dimensions.

This screen is made of wood, and is light-filtering. It was placed in a gallery in Canada. I was inspired by this project because they used digital fabrication to help reduce their material waste. A lot of times when building these types of projects, the size of the material is considered at the end, resulting in a lot of wasted material. This project generated components based on the size of their materials, reducing waste. It wasn’t clear what software they used to create the components, but they were cut on a CNC.

Some of the components of Zero/Fold Screen, demonstrating how they were cut so as to fit the original piece of wood.

I think it’s really cool that they’re using this technology to create something that is practical for use and for sustainability. It inspires me to use technology to create things that are beneficial for the world. It shows me that it is possible to be mindful of the implications of what I am creating, so that I can make the best thing possible.

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