This project is a flat-pack, fully 3D-printed stool designed as a tribute to Detroit’s resilience and design legacy. Engineered for strength without supports or tools, the stool assembles from just two print beds and draws inspiration from the city’s architecture, art, and motto—embodying both efficiency and symbolism in a compact, accessible form.
This stool is a tribute to Detroit’s enduring spirit of resilience and reinvention. Inspired by the city's motto, “Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus” ("We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes"), the design embodies strength through simplicity. The stool is entirely 3D printed without the need for supports, tools, or adhesives, and it assembles effortlessly through a clever interlocking system. Despite its lightweight, flat-pack construction, the stool supports up to 180 lbs and is printed using only two print beds, making it both efficient and accessible. Designed with portability, sustainability, and symbolism in mind, the stool reflects Detroit’s resourceful design legacy, functional, raw, and unapologetically strong.
Every component of the stool is intentionally engineered to celebrate Detroit’s rich design and architectural heritage. The top surface features a radial pattern inspired by the Spirit of Detroit statue, symbolizing unity and hope. Beneath the seat, the city’s motto is embossed as a reminder of Detroit’s perseverance. The legs draw structural inspiration from Albert Kahn’s industrial factory trusses, translated into a 3D-printable form using tapered geometry and internal ribbing for strength. The dovetail joints not only provide seamless, tool-free assembly, but echo the interlocking strength seen in the city’s manufacturing history. Art Deco details along the leg edges and seat border give a subtle nod to Detroit’s golden era of automotive and architectural design. Together, each part tells a cohesive story, Detroit-coded, engineered with purpose, and made to rise again.
