Custom furniture makers are artists who transform wood, metal, and other materials into functional works of art. However, even the most talented designers can find themselves constrained by the limitations of human imagination. Just like AI assistants helping us create great content, procedural 3D generation can be a creative co-pilot for interior architects.
We built a web based parametric 3D designer that lets you supercharge your table design process, especially if you are into creating experimental shapes and unique forms. It was a neat little side project that we built using Three JS last week while waiting for a client proposal to go through. It’s insanely simple to use, just drag few sliders and get fancy shapes each time. Here’s the magic in action.
Alright, it’s not magic exactly, but you get the idea . Let’s break it down.
You can play with the live demo here https://craftpixels.in/3d/desk-genie3D/
So, what exactly is this “Procedural Design”? Is it same as Parametric Design?
Procedural design is a method of creating designs through a set of rules or algorithms rather than manually designing every element. This could be generated in random or based on specified rule set. In the context of furniture, Parametric design means defining parameters like shape, size, material, and color, and then letting a computer generate countless variations based on these parameters. Parametric architecture is all around us. You would have seen them at airports, or at your local mall. Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher are legendary names when such architectural marvel is spoken about. Read more about them here.
A building familiar to many architecture students, The Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Gehry is one of his most iconic buildings and an architectural landmark in Downtown LA. Its name is known in parallel with the term ‘deconstructivism’ – a term to describe conceiving a structure or a form through fragmentation and experimentation.
You can see a list of 10 impressive parametric architecture here.
This concept of procedural generation goes into games you love as well. Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 renders gorgeous wide landscapes filled with meadows. We made a similar attempt to render grass using Perlin textures albeit at a micro scale which you can see here. Now that you understand the technicality and math behind this tech, let’s talk use cases.
How can Procedural design help me?
Glad you asked. In the example demo we’ve showcased, we assumed a designer persona who is tasked with creating avant garde tables featuring unique and odd shapes. These are the pieces that would adorn luxurious hall ways who say nay to boring sharp edged desks. The artist merely uses the two sliders to generate shapes in random. The shapes are rendered in realtime 3D using ThreeJS. These procedural generations can be exported out as GLB models for further use inside 3D softwares such as Blender.
- Imagine Infinite possibilities — A designer can create a base table design and then generate thousands of variations by tweaking parameters. This means a wider range of options for clients, increasing the chances of finding the perfect piece. This is as close as it gets to an NFT, think limited editions 😉
- Faster Design Process — Manually creating multiple design options can be time-consuming. Procedural design automates this process, allowing designers to focus on refining the core design and exploring different variations quickly.
- Cost-Effective — By automating the design process, furniture makers can potentially reduce labor costs. Additionally, procedural design can help optimize material usage by generating designs that are efficient in terms of material consumption.
- Enhanced Creativity — Procedural design doesn’t replace human creativity but enhances it. By providing a vast array of design options, it inspires designers to think outside the box and experiment with new ideas. Its like having a co-pilot like R2D2.
By embracing procedural design, custom furniture makers can not only boost their productivity but also create truly exceptional pieces that delight their clients.
Now, you may wonder if this can be adapted to other Use cases. Here’s how.
The table generator is merely scratching the surface. Imagine interior furnishing industry where you might be creating custom cabinetry or wardrobes for home owners. Communicating the design visually is a major challenge. Having a WYSIWYG parametric cabinet creator on your iPad will greatly simply this customer lead design collaboration. Here’s a sneak peak of parametric cabinet in action. At 1:45 min, you can see how we have used a parametric cabinet inside our 3D space planner. This is a much better way of showcasing your large varieties of partially assembled cabinets or bespoke furnitures.
Elevate your interior design workflow. Imagine crafting furniture and interiors in realtime that captivate clients before they’re even built. Contact us today to explore how procedural design can revolutionize your furniture and interior projects. Reach us via email madz@craftpixels.in or https://calendly.com/craftpixels
