The Concept: Modular Precision
The Challenge
Contemporary living spaces are increasingly fluid. Homes become offices, dining rooms transform into workshops, therefore furniture must adapt. It is often difficult to find the right size for the intended spot.
The Solution
GRIDWERK is a modular furniture system that puts customization in users’ hands. Built on standardized aluminum profiles and precision-milled wood panels, it enables infinite configurations from a single, elegant design language. Users can prototype their ideal piece digitally, then bring it to life through on demand manufacturing. The order is Flat-Pack Efficient and ships disassembled, which reduces transportation emissions.
Design Vision
GRIDWERK celebrates honest materials and tough construction. The 2020 aluminum profile, an industrial standard, becomes a design statement. In combination with walnut veneer plywood, which adds warmth, the cool silver metal and the wood stand in contrast and heighten each other.
The modular advantages allow furniture as adaptable infrastructure for living instead of furniture as disposable commodity. Individual components can be swapped without replacing entire piece. Aluminum and wood separate cleanly for recycling, which optimizes End-of-Life Recovery.
System Architecture
Structural Frame
2020 Aluminum Profile
Industry-standard T-slot extrusion
20mm × 20mm cross-section
High strength-to-weight ratio
Integral T-slot grooves for panels
No welding required
Corner Cubes connected with
stainless steel Torx screws
Infinitely recyclable
Surface Panels
CNC-Milled Walnut Veneer Plywood
Precision-milled edges fit T-slots
Varnished finish for durability
Maximum wood utilization
Natural material warmth
Sustainable forestry sources
Replaceable if damaged
3D Printed Hardware
The sliding doors glide on ball-bearings that are mounted inside the 3D printed bracket, which fits flush in the wood panel.
Since the cut out is on the backside of the sliding door, this detail is invisible from the front.
Multiple iterations were needed to achieve a functional ball-bearing mount inside a 1/2 inch thick door.
Interactive Proportion Viewer
I created the three js website code to support the user in experiencing the main advantage of this concept: Infinite Configurations
This interactive proportion viewer allows the user to configure the desired proportion. The 3D visualization helps understanding the differences in changing the x y and z values of a cuboid volume.
Prototype 1: Mobile Storage Cube
Prototype 2: Sideboard with Sliding Doors
Prototype 3: Wall-mounted Shelf
GRIDWERK and Sustainability
GRIDWERK addresses sustainability through material choice, longevity, and circular design principles
Technical Cycle: Aluminum
Infinitely recyclable with no quality loss
Recycling saves 95% of production energy
Biological Cycle: Wood
Veneer maximizes wood usage vs. solid lumber
FSC-certified options readily available
Natural oil finish—no VOC-heavy varnishes
Decomposable at end of life
Repair at Component Level
Damaged panel or bent Aluminum Extrusion?
Replace one piece, not entire unit
No Planned Obsolescence
No glued assemblies, no proprietary fasteners
Local Production Potential
The system’s simplicity enables distributed manufacturing. Aluminum profiles are globally standardized (20-series extrusions). CNC milling is widely accessible. This means furniture can be produced near end-users, dramatically reducing transportation emissions compared to overseas container shipments. A maker in Berlin, a fabricator in Brooklyn, and a workshop in Shanghai could all produce GRIDWERK pieces from the same digital files.
Digital Innovation: The Web Configurator
Try the interactive proportion viewer !
Bridging Digital Design and Physical Production
The GRIDWERK configurator supports a custom furniture design user experience. As a browser-based 3D interactive proportion viewer, simple CAD-level control
is in users’ hands to test any proportion in real-time. Built with Threejs and WebGL rendering, it provides instant visual feedback as dimensions change.
Current Key Features
Parametric dimension controls (width, height, depth)
Panel Material selection
Camera adjustability for focal length
Real-time 3D preview with material rendering
The Vision
This tool transforms the customer relationship.
Instead of choosing from preset options, users become co-designers. They understand the system, see material implications, and make informed decisions. This is furniture design for the digital age, where the gap between customization and realization shrinks.
Potential Future Functions
- Material quantity calculator
- Export cut list for fabrication
- Estimated cost generator and “Order” button
- Structural validation warnings
- Save and share configurations
- Augmented Reality preview in actual space
- Direct integration with fabricators
- Community gallery of designs
The Making
