Award-winning Austrian designer Julia Koerner was once referred to as “architecture’s queen of 3D fabrication.” Her work takes her from architecture to product design to fashion. She is internationally recognized for design innovation in 3D printing. Koerner’s work stands out at the top of each of these disciplines.
Koerner is featured as part of Design for Life, a collaboration between Dezeen Media and Dassault Systèmes in-house Design Studio founded by Anne Asensio. As part of the Design for Life collaboration, the Design Studio develops close relationships with designers, architects, creators and innovators from across the design community who explore and experiment with advanced Designer processes to build a better world.
“When I’m inspired by a natural artifact, I look at its structure,” she says. “I think about whether this could become a prototype for a facade, or could it become an algorithm which can be adapted for a garment?”
Using technology to access natural influences
Koerner uses generative design tools and 3D printing technology to work in multiple disciplines, including architecture, fashion and product design. She says that computational design tools let designers accurately emulate patterns and processes found in the natural world.
Koerner combined cutting-edge technology and traditional influences when she collaborated with Hollywood costume designer Ruth E. Carter to create the costumes for Queen Ramonda in the 2018 film Black Panther, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Costume Design.
Julia Koerner designed Queen Ramonda’s costumes for the film Black Panther. (Image © Disney; Black Panther images by Matt Kenneda/Marvel Studios 2018)
“The computational and generative techniques of parametric design enables us to mimic color rhythm and proportion as we see it in nature,” she explained. “My work is between the beauty of organic and synthetic processes, and it enables me to envision the kind of synergy between the two.”
The Austrian designer spends her time between Los Angeles, California USA and Salzburg, Austria. She has established her own practice, JK Design, and she holds a teaching role at UCLA’s Architecture and Urban Design department.
Watch an interview with Koerner as she describes her design influences and approaches, and shows some of her latest fashion creations utilizing 3D printing, including a dress using unique pieces that are assembled on the person in real time.
Other cutting-edge architects and designers using technology and research who are profiled in the Design for Life collaboration include Exploration Architecture founder Michael Pawlyn, DS Automobiles design director Thierry Metroz, Mamou-Mani Architects founder Arthur Mamou-Mani, and Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis. Watch an overview video here.
You can watch the complete series of designer interviews on the Design for Life portal.
