Marquetry Spheres

The Marquetry Sphere is an experimental commission that investigates the relationship between geometric order and hand-crafted materiality across a curved, architectural form. Composed of over 1,500 individually traced and cut veneer elements, the surface is assembled through a meticulous, jigsaw-like process that responds to the subtle undulations of the sphere. Each component is shaped by hand to ensure precision of fit and continuity of pattern.
The geometric framework is structured around four-, nine-, and fifteen-fold rosettes, carefully constructed directly onto the three-dimensional surface using compasses and tailor’s tape. These are guided by an underlying dodecahedral grid — twelve pentagonal fields distributed across the sphere — which enables the pattern to transition coherently across multiple axes and maintain proportional integrity throughout the form.
The work is the result of a collaborative making process, reflecting the contributions of a team of artisans and students whose collective craftsmanship is embedded within the final surface.
This project was initiated as an experimental commission by BWPener, with the original geometric pattern devised by Ambigraph. The form is constructed from a hard-coated Jesmonite substrate, finished with hand-applied wood veneer.