Peter Donders (1965)
Having graduated from the famous Maaseik technical school in Belgium, Peter Donders graduated as a furniture maker. Following his graduation, he became a self-employed carpenter, experimenting from the start with shapes and materials. 1999 was a milestone, for this was the year he switched from traditional craftsmanship to using computerised 3D and CAD tools. In 2004 he was invited to an international conference in London where he presented his latest invention: a design technique employing several computer programs in combination to calculate complex artistic forms. This innovative application of technology was well received by architects such as Sir Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid and remains at the cutting-edge of design practice today.
One of the first to use polygonal modelling in combination with Rhino he designed and made 1110 theatre seats for the Grand Theatre in Blackpool. His revolutionary designs include the Batoidea chair which he produced using 3D-printed sand casting. This piece was presented at Moscow Design Week 2011 and subsequently shown at various exhibitions in Europe. In 2015 his Ti-join chair was included in the the MAKING A DIFFERENCE / A DIFFERENCE IN MAKING Exhibition: 25 years of 3D Printing by Materialise, Belgium. In 2017 he was invited by the Hong Kong Council to give a talk about his 3D print designs. The Shelly chair constitutes the next milestone in his career. Made of 3D die-cast bronze, this 37 kg chair is a contemporary take on Art Nouveau forms. Typical of his work, this piece combines the latest technology with lines inspired by nature.