Found Objects
The Story
Found Objects is an open source design tool that parametrically creates shapes out of the leftover sheet material from CNC projects: giving the machine a mind of its own!
With this tool, Fiction Factory wants to help the community of makers, designers and producers reduce their CNC waste while simultaneously creating a new material.
Projects
Through ongoing collaborations with designers, Fiction Factory is bringing Found Objects into the world through a variety of projects.
Dutch Design Week 23
During the Dutch Design Week 2023, Found Objects is presented at Piet Hein Eek. The presentation highlights Fiction Factory’s collaboration with designers Iñigo Puerta Uranga, Paola Zanchetta, and Mika IJlst. The designers created furniture pieces crafted from waste material at Fiction Factory, resulting in a small collection of objects that showcase different techniques for working with Found Objects components: from the scale of a product, to furniture, to architectural installation.
Circolare – The Circular Village
During the Milan Design Week 2023, Fiction Factory worked with designers MAST (link) to create the zero-waste exhibition design for Isola Design’s Circolare. Found objects was used in the design and construction of the exhibition, and featured as one of the showcased circular designs – including modular bar and seating elements designed by Iñigo Puerta Uranga.
No Space for Waste
For the Isola Design presentation at Dutch Design Week 2022, MAST designed an exhibition made entirely from production waste. In he design process, Fiction Factory, Jesse Howard and MAST collaborated to create exhibition podia using Found Objects.
Exhibitions and Workshops
Showing by making: we’ve found that the best way to show the potential of Found Objects is through hands-on prototyping. To make this happen, have organized exhibitions In which designers were invited for 1-day residencies to create new prototypes with Found Objects material. Exhibitions at SOUP and at Waag Future Lab as part of the Glue festival.
The material
Since the material is generated from incomplete sheets, no two shapes are the same. This means that only a few things are certain: the material, the length, and the maximum width. The same goes for the overall shape which can also be adjusted: from geometric and angular to smooth and organic. It’s possible to specify a particular material and thickness, or to work with whatever materials currently in production by choosing ‘Material X’ or ‘Any Thickness’. The more flexible you are in your selection, the greater chance there is that your material will be found!
The possibilities
This material can help you create unique products like tables, chairs, cabinets and much more. To help with this we offer a service to give advice and assistance with prototyping, design and engineering. Join us in our journey to grow the Found Objects community.
Interested to find out more?
Found Objects is part of the Better CNC Factory project initiated by Fiction Factory, IAAC, and Jesse Howard for Better Factory.
Supported by:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 951813.
The possibilities
This material can help you create unique products like tables, chairs, cabinets and much more. To help with this we offer a service to give advice and assistance with prototyping, design and engineering. Join us in our journey to grow the Found Objects community.
Interested to find out more?
Found Objects is part of the Better CNC Factory project initiated by Fiction Factory, IAAC, and Jesse Howard for Better Factory.
Supported by:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 951813.