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Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design
Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design
Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design
Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design
Projects

Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design

Irish glass artist and Arts University Plymouth alumna Laura Quinn collaborated with Fab Lab South West to create modular, wearable glass art using bespoke 3D-printed connectors, blending traditional glassblowing with digital fabrication for more sustainable, adaptable design.

Internationally recognised glass artist Laura Quinn worked with Fab Lab South West to design and prototype bespoke connecting components for her wearable glass practice. The collaboration combined traditional hot glass techniques with advanced digital fabrication, enabling modular designs that are durable, repairable and adaptable — pushing the possibilities of glass as a material for contemporary craft and jewellery while aligning with sustainable design values.

The challenge

Glass is fragile, difficult to repair, and traditionally resistant to modular design. For Laura Quinn, whose practice explores the relationship between body and material, this presented both a technical challenge and an opportunity to innovate. She wanted to develop interchangeable, wearable glass pieces that could evolve over time and reduce waste.

Our approach

  • Digital prototyping: Fab Lab South West supported the design of bespoke connectors and fittings using 3D CAD software.

  • Additive manufacturing: Components were produced through 3D printing and tested alongside glass elements for strength, comfort and fit.

  • Craft–tech integration: By combining handblown glass with precision-engineered parts, Laura achieved a system where pieces can be assembled, disassembled and reconfigured.

Results & impact

  • Modular innovation: The collaboration produced a collection of interchangeable wearable artworks, redefining how glass can function in contemporary design.

  • Sustainability: Modular construction makes the pieces repairable, adaptable and longer-lasting, reducing waste and supporting circular design principles.

  • Recognition: Laura Quinn continues to exhibit internationally, with recent showcases including Collect (Craft Council, 2022), the Ireland Glass Biennale, and the Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s Connected trail.

  • Alumni success story: A 2019 graduate of Arts University Plymouth’s MA programme, Laura is now Glass Technical Tutor at University for the Creative Arts, where she continues to develop her practice and teach the next generation of makers.

Technologies used

3D CAD design • 3D printing • Glassblowing • Modular component prototyping

Partners & credits

  • Laura Quinn — Visiting Artist & Arts University Plymouth alumna

Fab Lab South West, Arts University Plymouth — bespoke component design and prototyping

Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design Laura Quinn: innovating wearable glass with digital design

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