Yoav Reches

  On the floor of kiln #4, designer Yoav Reches is testing his own little 3D-printed kiln. A gas tank, a flame, a thermocouple: “I’m still 150° short!” The goal is to develop a modular custom-sized kiln that allows anyone to experiment with atmospheric firing and doesn’t use more energy than strictly necessary. “The next step is to insulate the printed walls — and test it again!” Reches also examined if he could use differences in shrinkage ratio to assemble tri-legged pieces during firing. He suspended stoneware cylinders in the kiln to fit into the holes of perforated porcelain discs. As porcelain shrinks more than stoneware, the discs tightened around the extruded cylinders, forming stools or modest tables. It’s a very promising technique. Further experiments include large, extruded profiles bent into low benches or side tables, and extruded shelves or cornices that can be made to follow a bespoke wall geometry.