3D Print & Research project
3D Modelling and scanning

Using 3D scanning, designing and printing to cross-pollinate between the digital and analogue, raise awareness for, and share meals with, an underrated helper in the garden, the Green Rose Chafer.

This project (working title JUGstaposition) was created in the seminar Pollinator’s Paradise. The aim was to explore design for humans and pollinators and to come up for a functional design with practical applications of digital fabrication, including 3D scanning using LIDAR and other scanners, 3D printing using PLA and clay as well as 3D design using Maya and Blender, combining the physical and digital. My species of research was the Green Rose Chafer.

After researching the species, I decided to focus on one of the largest threats to it, the misidentification of Green Rose Chafer grubs. Due to the presence of a lot of misinformation on the internet, the grubs are often misidentified as Maybeetle grubs, which unlike Green Rose Chafer ones are harmful to gardens. Green Rose Chafer grubs however are not only not harmful, but instead very beneficial to the garden. A way to distinguish these two grubs is by the way they move. The Green Rose Chafer grub will turn on its back and proceed to move in an upwards curved manner. This pose is what I wanted to incorporate in my design, to serve as a conversation starter to spread accurate identification and more awareness of this beetle.

Another interesting point I came across during the research phase is that this beetle and humans have very similar tastes, both enjoying the flavours of Hawthorne and Elderberries. As these are popular drinks during the summer, I decided to design a jug to enjoy these beverages from. In the end, the clay 3D printing did not work out as planned and would have needed a lengthy re-design and prototyping process. However a PLA solution using a fitting filament turned out to be a good substitute for a final product, shimmering in the colours of the Green Rose Chafer itself.

Additionally, I created a booklet containing cooking recipes using these two ingredients, Hawthorne and Elderberries, to create meals that could hypothetically be shared between these two species.