We Printed Fake Wood and Made an Invisible Pergola
- Brand
- Outdoor Retailer
- Concept
An outdoor retailer came to us with a cool idea for the footprint of their store. They wanted to add dimension to their overhead ceilings by creating a floating wood pergola. The problem was that each “pergola” was double the price to ship and install than it was to actually build it. This is a common problem when using heavy materials. They asked us to develop an alternative solution that would maintain the brand aesthetic they desired while staying within budget.
01_Challenge
Design and manufacture a floating wood fixture that was light, affordable to ship, and easy to install.
02_Solution
First, we had to come up with a way the fixture could break down for shipping, but also stay as one part (with no additional assembly). We created an accordion design that could fold into itself for shipping and then easily expand when ready to install.
We color-matched and printed the exact woodgrain species that they wanted onto a lightweight substrate. Then, we cut scored the material so that it would be identical to a wood board. After the first run and cost study, the customer was so thrilled they tripled their initial order.