Amheba: A Revolution in Bookcase Design

George Šmejkal's Award-Winning Parametric Design

Šmejkal's inspiration for Amheba was to create the largest possible bookcase from standard plywood boards while maintaining a minimal weight. The result is a structure that is not only large and lightweight but also adaptable. The shape of Amheba can be altered during the design process by adjusting parameters, allowing for a variety of expressions.

Amheba's unique properties lie in its use of topological optimization to lighten the structure and its algorithm-driven design. The bookcase is made from 18mm thick birch plywood, and its production involves digital fabrication. The entire process is computer-driven, eliminating the need for technical documentation. The data for fabrication is sent directly to a CNC machine, which can manufacture the design using only three axes.

One of the most impressive aspects of Amheba is its ease of assembly and transport. Despite its size, each 2.5-meter long piece can be carried by one person, thanks to optimization holes that reduce the weight. The bookcase segments fit together like a large jigsaw puzzle, and a single person can handle the assembly process.

Amheba's design was a challenge, particularly the scripting process, which was time-consuming and inefficient at first. However, once the script was complete, new bookcase shapes could be generated in seconds, making it an extremely efficient design method. The result is a lightweight, easily transportable structure that is as functional as it is beautiful.

Amheba is a testament to the power of parametric design and digital fabrication. It represents a new era in furniture design, where form and function are seamlessly integrated, and the possibilities are limited only by the designer's imagination.