Squint and you can see familiar shapes behind the dazzling detail and metallic gold of these 3D-printed chairs, but up close: finer geometries dominate each design.

Developed by John Briscella, this series of seats illustrates how metal printing can optimize for materiality (by leaving calculated voids), against a backdrop of classic furniture forms (and in some cases: set upon more traditional chair leg formations).

But it also highlights the rich array of aesthetic possibilities offered by such an approach, when one, for instance, introduces algorithms and other new technologies to inform geometric expressions.

More about the individual chairs in the series: ‘Nuum’ takes the classical form and progresses toward something new; in an homage to eames, briscella adds the mathematical letter ’n’ — a non negative integer. ‘Geofrei’ is geometrical and free. ‘Seafoam’ is calming — the entire collection is one flush with history — past, present, and a 3D printed, highly optimized future.”

Weighing close to 10,000 pounds, the complex shape and curvy form of this stainless steel bridge reflects the multi-axis printers that made it, line by molten line, and help highlight the potential of metal-printing technologies.

The MX3D Bridge was designed by Joris Laarman Lab (with engineering help from Arup and other partners) and spans just over 40 feet. It is constructed from a new type of steel, laid down by a team of robots. There is a certain roughness that is a byproduct of the printing process, which could be buffed away, but also may be left to highlight the novel method of construction.

Tucked in a linear warehouse with ordinary-shaped tools and materials, the design really stands out — it is full of winding curves, demonstrating possibilities for complex forms for architectural, industrial, maritime and space applications. Shot out beyond Earth’s orbit, machines like these may build the first non-terrestrial colonies on the moon or Mars using local materials.

This first bridge, however, which has been going through design and construction phases for a long time now, we be installed over a canal in Amsterdam next year, after being subjected to rigorous load tests and analyzed so engineers can learn from and iterate on its design. Given its unusual shape, it doesn’t fit typical building codes — new ones may need to be written for its future counterparts.

Instead of swapping between rings and earrings for different occasions, why not keep the framework and trade out the colorful key element: the featured jewel.

Inspired by Lego and designed by Hintlab, these interchangeable creations feature all different kinds of options, from simple translucent and opaque blocks to growing crystal shapes and stamped message surfaces.

The blocks, like LEGO, can be stackable to, allowing for hybrid creations that evolve over time. Alternatively, the add-ons can fit flush with their settings, looking like a more permanent stone.

Some of the more colorful options may work well for kids, but the idea can appeal to adults as well who are sick of making sure all of their various jewelry fits, and want something minimal and simple.

In 1377, nearly a century before the famous Gutenberg Bible was printed in Germany, the Jikji anthology was made using movable metal type, then bound and and protected for centuries to come.

A new installation outside the Cheongju Art Centre in South Korea celebrates this historic achievement, acting as a shelter for public performances in the open plaza.

It also hints at a larger exhibit inside: an array of architecture, art, design and digital media that traces the history and impact of movable type on literacy and publishing.

The pavilion itself, folded and stitched together with red twine, forms a canopy that mimics the properties of an open book “being pushed down onto a flat surface,” explains its creator Ron Arad. “The thickness increases where the pages fan out, and the metal binding of the structure is derived from a traditional spine.”

The Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document, whose title can be translated roughly as “Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests’ Zen Teachings.” It collects teachings of Buddhism passed down for generations.

Printed during the Goryeo Dynasty in the 14th Century, it is the world’s oldest extant book printed in an essentially modern fashion. Prior printing techniques in China used ceramics to generate volumes, but none of those works survive.

While other copies of the content still exist thanks to wood engravings in temples, only the final volume of the original metal-printed Jikji remains. It is preserved by the Manuscrits Orientaux department of the National Library of France.

The fact the a movable metal type process was used to create the anthology was only rediscovered in the early 1900s in the West when this last book was examined.

Johannes Gutenberg, meanwhile, was the first to create type pieces from a particular alloy of lead, tin, and antimony—and these materials remained standard for over 550 years as printing evolved in Europe.

Printed layer by layer from the ground up using a special cement mixture, this rapidly-produced curvilinear structure is a functional example as well as proof of concept, illustrating the architectural potential of 3D printing.

The entire 2,700-square-foot structure was built for a relatively modest $140,000, requiring just one operator to oversee the printer plus an array of electricians, plumbers and detailers to outfit the completed shell for power, water, lighting and telecommunications. The modular machine assembled to do the printing measured approximately 120 by 40 feet and stood 20 feet high, able to build while sitting in one place.

The new building will (aptly enough) be home to the Dubai Future Foundation, providing space for offices, workshops and events. Global architecture firm Gensler designed the building in partnership with structural experts from Thornton Tomasetti and Syska Hennessy.

Complex curves on the interior and exterior were both considered part of the visual design but also a way to showcase the possibilities of 3D printing technology.

“We announce today the opening of the first 3D-printed office in the world, after less than one month of launching Dubai 3D printing strategy which showcases a modern model of construction. This is an experience we present to the world on utilizing future technology in people lives. It also represents a new milestone for the UAE as a global leader in strategic achievements,” Sheikh Mohammed said.