CHESS SET

FAMILY OF FORM

Spring 2025 - 5 weeks

The goal of this project was to design a chess set that can be identified as a family through style, consistency, and a common piece.

My chess set took great inspiration from the Bauhaus design style.

2D + 3D EXPLORATION

After exploring many different design styles I decided to take my design in the Bauhaus direction. In these sketches I explored many different designs with a simplistic and/or geometric approach. Then I brought my favorite initial idea to three dimensional form to further visualize it.

ITERATIONS

Furthering previous ideas and closing in on a final design. After these sketches I decided to roll with the angular design over the cylindrical. I decided to use a clear resin common piece and a wood top piece for materials. I fell in love with the concept of a translucent bottom piece.

COMMON PIECE

3D printing a masterpiece which can be used to cast all the common pieces. After initial print I adjusted the size to better suit a chess board. My final masterpiece was resin printed and sanded to ensure my casted pieces come out smooth and clean.

BUILD PROCESS

For my common piece I used clear resin and a vacuum chamber to ensure as little air bubbles as possible. For my top part of each piece I used red oak wood and natural enhancing oil. In the wood shop I used the ban saw, drill press, and chiseling for finer details.

RENDERINGS

Renderings of final design. I chose to use a darker oak wood for one team and a lighter birch wood for the other. The colors complement each other well.