Particle-Trail: Digital Fabrication and Subtractive Manufacturing for Complex Natural Stone Furniture

Alessandro Premier^1,2, Michael Davis^1,2, Sarosh Mulla^1,2

1. The University of Auckland
2. Building 421

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 1271 to 1279. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_122.

Abstract

Particle-Trail is a furniture element generated from a conceptual design created using Voronoi patterns and inspired by the spongy, inner structure of bone. It represents a fusion of the organic with the technology of a real-time 3D-digital development platform. Through algorithmic shaping, Particle-Trail, moves beyond concept to be realized as a travertine architectural element. The project originates from the research question: ‘can the inner structure of bone–which provides critical support and strength to the human skeleton–be transposed and transformed into a stone architectural element through subtractive manufacturing?’ Two arch-shaped structures–equal but opposite–become the supporting structure of a table, a modular furniture element with the potential to be scaled for use in different contexts and scenarios, providing a structure of support for distinctive architectural objects. The paper summarizes the design and production process of Particle-Trail as a response to the main research question. A prototype, showcased at an international exhibition, provided proof of concept for this research. Current stages are investigating the re-use of manufacturing waste generated in the creation of new, circular designs.

Keywords

Session

Presented in Track J, Saturday 9 November 2024, 11:00 to 13:00, room WA 224 B, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Eziaku Rasheed.

How to Cite

Premier, A., Davis, M., & Mulla, S. (2025). Particle-Trail: Digital Fabrication and Subtractive Manufacturing for Complex Natural Stone Furniture. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 1271–1279). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_122

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.