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3M Seamless

3M Seamless

Ian Lim
February 5, 2020
1 Comment

3M Seamless is an entry for the "3M for Design" Contest, where contestants must design a piece of furniture, lighting or decor with the sole use of 3Ms adhesives as connectors in mind.

3M: Seamless is an exploration of the strength of 3M’s adhesives and the perception of stability in the realm of furniture.



The project's aim was to highlight the use of 3M's adhesives. Among the 3M adhesives I could use, the one that caught my eye was a specific epoxy-based adhesive that dries and cures transparently. In order to show this characteristic, I used transparent materials for the chair seat the tabletop to give the illusion that the seemingly disconnected legs were holding the piece together.

I wanted a piece that could seamlessly blend in people's homes without looking too out of place and I wanted to make a piece that was generally easy to assemble with all parts together.

To me, Leather and double-sided tape in the construction of furniture seemed like an idea that hasn't been explored before so I attempted to do so with this piece and it resulted in each leg split in half with a different material. These little details are what make the difference for me.


I used Rhinoceros 3D and Keyshot for modeling and rendering the project. I was at a loss at first when starting the project and it was only after getting out, going around and talking to people when I got the necessary inspiration to finalize the direction I wanted to take my design direction.
Along the way, a few technical problems arose and I had to figure out different ways to approach these issues to see which was the most rewarding. At the end of it all, I am happy with the results.



Despite not winning this contest, I am proud to have come up with this concept and I think there are some people who appreciate the work that I have put into this project. People love the style, look and material choice and they love the story that goes with it. If I had to relate something I've learned from this project, it is that people respond to things more if you give them a narrative behind it. The more interesting the narrative, the more people could connect to your work.

Ian Lim

Ian Lim is a designer from Manila, Philippines currently residing in Milan, Italy. Straddling the line between product, interior and graphic, he looks to communicate his design sensibilities in many different fields.

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