Michael Young x Wenext conceive a vibrant 3D printed installation at Design Shenzhen

Over the span of a few years, technology has gone through unfathomable advancements in all spheres—the world of design being no exception. One such innovation that has unequivocally revolutionised design is 3D printing technology. Printing 3D objects, with every intricate detail they embody, in real-time is a huge leap for design realisation in terms of both quality of products and quantity of time. This unbridled ascent of 3D printing is inevitably reflected in the design festivals and fairs that mushroom across the globe, as well as among representatives of the contemporary design landscape. Design Shenzhen 2023, a bespoke design event that took place at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (SZCEC), opened its doors to an extensive repository, showcasing elements of architecture, design and style, tailored meticulously to cater to the local market.

Ensconced in the heart of Shenzhen, China, the exhibition space was home to a collaboration between two pioneers that made heads turn with its reverberating vibrance. British industrial designer and resounding design voice Michael Young joined forces with leading manufacturing service bureau Wenext for the trade show that ran from February 27 to March 2, 2023. The alliance is the first of several planned in the near future with a focus on 3D printing technology. “The beauty of 3D printing is that you can do almost anything you want,” says Young. “Keeping in mind strict budgets—as we designed this at the height of COVID-19 which was complex—we acted typically as the design requested a service to demonstrate their process,” he adds.

Young first began working with the brand on a series of edition pieces called Metamisms for his eponymous home brand. The ensemble featured a study of algorithms, set as a random program that evolves organically within the peripheries of a given shape. The designs were recently unveiled as part of a soft launch at Manks in Hong Kong before Christmas. “If COVID-19 helped with anything it was that the Metamisms we designed back then have stood the test of time with my three and four-year-old boys and still look like new,” the British designer shares. The installation partaking in Design Shenzhen demonstrated the confluence of 3D printing technology and interior furnishing—a juxtaposition that Young expects will emerge swiftly in the Greater Bay Area in China, where such technologies now make up daily life. “Printing in 3D has a massive potential in decorative arts due to the complexity of forms one can create using modern pattern work that can no longer be achieved by hand,” Young explains.

The immersive installation was designed with three key elements—vibrant enveloping walls, a reflective plinth, and five algorithmic vases. The two walls perched in the backdrop were no less than a 3D explosion of colours that served as a great photo op for curious visitors. On being asked about its conception, Young says, “I wanted to place the 3D objects within a vortex of 3D opportunity to create another decorative dimension, understanding that this stand needed to communicate the desire for the locals to take selfies.” The vivid hues then reflect directly onto a mirrored circular plinth that houses five singular vase designs with an algorithmic surface treatment. The intricate patterns of volumes and voids that dance on the surface came to life through an exploration of the software and the “setting of self-generating structures that grow within a given exterior boundary.” With the exuberant colours amplified even more through mirrored planes, a kinetic visual experience enticed passersby. The signed product designs can be clad in any Pantone colour and ordered directly from the designer’s shop.

Now that the borders of the long locked-down world are open, the product designer has found the opportunity to recommence the work he was developing, almost three years ago. With Wenext he attempted to interweave the world of technology and home furnishing into one. “They are quite alien in the sense that a lot of 3D printed design is not used commercially within contact interior projects as it is still quite hard to understand its lifespan and durability,” Young notes. Design Shenzhen came about as a fortuitous event to challenge the presumed aloofness between the two spheres, while also promoting the services of WeNext. At the program highlighting home furnishings, Young artistically injected the otherwise humble compositions with a dash of innovative design—an amalgam of supposed antipodes with redefined pillars of inspiration.

Design Shenzhen was on view from February 27 to March 2, 2023, at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Shenzhen, China.