A 3D printed kinetic installation made of recycled plastic

Design studio Atelier DARN created a kinetic installation made of 3D printed pieces made of recycled plastic.

For the 2024 edition of Festival des Architectures Vives, the installation called RHUBARB was inspired by the rhythm and evolution of the Olympics, celebrating the active role of spectators, inviting them to become part of the art itself. Only after the first move of the audience, whether through touch or simply by the wind created from passing by, the artwork converts the energy into sound and light.

The individual pieces of the installation are made from recycled plastic, reused PET bottles, and plant-based sources. One filament used was Ultrafuse® rPETG filament by BASF Forward AM, made from post-industrial PET waste. Atelier DARN also experimented with their own handcrafted filament made of recycled plastic. The biobased filament comes from NOVINOV, a French company. The biodegradable plant-based filament is made with Miscanthus. The sculpture consists of about 1,000 pieces, varying in size and colour.

The kinetic piece, located during the festival at an 18th-century historical monument, Hôtel d’Aurès, in Montpellier, won the Public Prize.

Photos: Atelier DARN / Festival des Architectures Vives