Dimensional Innovations

     Dimensional Innovations is arguably the largest and most prominent design firm in Kansas City. They employ an astounding breadth of projects in a communal studio design environment. While they export more of the large scale fabrication than other places we've visited like A. Zahner and Star Signs, they produce a greater range of products and systems within their spaces, and still fabricate a lot for themselves. What separates Dimensional Innovations from these two noteworthy firms is the diversity of design challenges they face.
     Dimensional innovations has patented their own materials, including a glass fiber reinforced plastic they often form into furniture. They tackle signage and environmental design challenges that include interactive digital displays. They create specialized equipment for medical environments. They develop startup projects through Kickstarter. Dimensional Innovations is the unsung hero of branding tons of Kansas companies, and through their facilities, there are few things that they can't do. Lighting, environmental, wayfinding, digital interaction, product design, through the tools of plastic forming, welding, routing, laser cutting, large scale vinyls, painting, powdercoating, and spray on plastic coatings.

A. Zahner

     Zahner's facilities and processes are unique primarily in their drastic scale compared to places we've been like Star Signs. Don't get me wrong, Star signs is capable of large projects and systems of signage, but for a fabrication company that does everything in house, Zahner is immense. Most of their work is in aluminum, as in many fabrication companies in the same market, due to the strength to weight ration and the workability, but Zahner is capable of many other materials including acrylic and steel.
     Zahner acquires contracts for huge long term projects including architectural facades for big names like Frank Gehry by focusing on iterative exploration of surface finishing, and through large scale mockups. They employ two towers--a 20 ft. and a 40 ft.--which can hang architectural elements or sculpural sections so that shapes and finishes can be viewed at full scale.
     They are also known for their hundreds of offered finishes, Zahner has a team dedicated to creating new textures, and patinas in series so that Zahner is able to match any theme that a project dictates.
     On top of all of this, Zahner employs advanced technology. The use of a water jet cutter, a large scale CNC, and a patented metal punch Zahner is able to take their design teams wildest solutions and make them reality. Every detail is planned and tested by a dedicated staff. Even the shipping crates are specially built by crate builders.

Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry is known for outlandish architecture, and a work process that is no less so. In fact one of the greatest inspirations for his architectural style was that he was drastically opposed to the tenants of architecture at the time. Gehry has never fit into a mold nicely. Working from gestural sketches, crumpled paper cups, and a multitude of other strange inspirations Gehry works to have his buildings break out from their landscapes as surreal monuments. His work now is centered around a large studio collaborative environment, with many specialized people working under him (even a designated taper/paper cutter). In this way Gehry rapidly creates models in large and small scale that help him maintain perspective on the project, and allow for organic growth in design. Gehry is a testament to the idea that one must follow what truly inspires them, as it was his breaking away from the static and unobtrusive architecture he had known that awarded him with incredible success.

Matthias Pliessnig

Matthias Pliessnig is an artist, a furniture designer, a boat builder, and much more. Best known for his steam bending of wood, Matthias is a pioneer of process and refinement in creating incredibly intricate furniture pieces which he markets primarily to architects (for new buildings) but also to lucky private collectors.

Matthias uses time sensitive steam bending techniques that require "good people, loud music, and a few beers," not to mention hundreds of clamps and an intuition that can only come from hundreds of experiments.

There is never a dull moment in the studio, as Pliessnig explores fresh forms by playing with sculpture (large and miniscule), boat and kayak building, carving, and finding inspiration in his pets.

Matthias' installation art/benches can run easily into the tens of thousands of dollars, and for good reason. Hundreds and hundreds of man hours are tirelessly spent creating these surreal pieces.

Matthias' advice for attempting to steam bend:

-Use long, straight grain wood  (white oak)

-be picky, get the air dried wood so that resin is intact

-build your own bender. Relatively cheap, easy and customizable, you just need PVC piping and a laundry service steamer.