At Milan Design Week 2017, Carlo Ratti Associati and Cassina unveil SWISH, a kinetic wooden stool demonstrating the possibilities of 'implicit programming' as a new design principle.
International design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati opens a new chapter in its collaboration with Italian furniture manufacturer Cassina with the launch of SWISH, the prototype of a kinetic wooden stool.
The project, which will be unveiled at Milan Design Week on April 4, stems from a system patented by Carlo Ratti Associati based on the concept of 'implicit programming' - using digital fabrication to create objects that are pre-programmed to take different shapes.
Produced with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinery, SWISH is a lightweight seat made of 27 thin wooden elements. The components are interlocked through a system of individually designed junctions and hinges, each different from the other. As a result, the object can take different configurations, in a way that would not be possible with traditional fabrication methods.
The prototype of SWISH will be unveiled on April 4, 2017 at Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli (viale Pasubio 5, Milan) in the framework of "Cassina 9.0" exhibition, and will be on display throughout Milan Design Week 2017. Before that, you can enjoy a preview of SWISH in the video below.