CHESS BOSTON: Skyline to Chessboard

Chess Boston

Image Source: Roger

“CHESS BOSTON is an art project of mine I want to share. It started when I was looking at the Boston skyline from the Harbor and thought to myself that downtown looked like tall chess pieces and the Seaport looked like pawns. Next came some sketching. The Back Bay brownstone was eventually chosen over the Seaport buildings for their iconic and repetitive quality. Then I made some clay studies and a digital model. Now, just in from Hong Kong is a prototype set 3D printed of nylon.” said Roger.

Image Source: Roger

Roger came to 3DSPRO and told us he had a project to do. He envisioned transforming the distinctive Boston skyline into a chess set, where each piece embodies the architectural essence of different city areas. His journey began with capturing inspiration through sketches, then moved on to clay studies, which helped him visualize forms and structures in three-dimensional space. He carefully chose the Back Bay brownstones because they were iconic and repetitive, which he thought would make Chess more recognizable.

We helped Roger create six 3D printed chess sets made from durable nylon, with each set accurately representing its architectural inspiration.

3D Printed Chess Pieces

• 3D Printing Process: Selective Laser Sintering
• 3D Printing Materials: Nylon PA 12 Black and Nylon PA 12 White

The 3D printed chess pieces for Chess Boston are made using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), an advanced 3D printing technology known for precision and durability. SLS works by using a high-powered laser to sinter powdered material layer by layer, creating parts with fine detail and strength.

For this project, Roger chose black and white nylon PA 12 as the material.

Nylon PA 12 is a versatile thermoplastic that is ideal for producing high-quality, durable parts. The black and white colorway was chosen to reflect the classic chess piece aesthetic. From pawn to king, each piece is crafted to embody the architectural essence of different Boston landmarks.

Here are the 3D Printed Chess Pieces:

1. PRUDENTIAL TOWER - King

• Built 1964
• Architect: Charles Luckman and Associates
• Height / Area: 749 FT / 1.2 MSF
• Fun Fact: Same architect designed Madison Sq. Garden NYC.

2. JOHN HANCOCK TOWER – Queen

• Built 1976
• Architect: Henry Cobb, I.M. PEI and Partners
• Height / Area: 790 FT / 1.72 MSF
• Fun Fact: Tallest wooden building in the world when plywood was used to replace failed glass.

3. CUSTOM HOUSE – Bishop

• Built: 1847 (base) 1915 (tower)
• Architect: Ammi Burnham Young (base) & Peabody and Sterns (tower)
• Height / Area: 496 FT
• Fun Fact: The majority of all US revenue was collected in this building in the period following construction.

4. BERKELEY BUILDING – Knight

• Built: 1947
• Architect: Cram and Furguson
• Height / Area: 495 FT
• Fun Fact: Weather Beacon at the top indicates: Steady blue, clear view. Flashing blue, clouds due. Steady red, rain ahead. Flashing red, snow instead (or Red Sox rain out). In addition, in 2004, after the Boston Red Sox historic World Series win a second line was added to the poem: “Flashing blue and red, when The Curse of the Bambino is Dead!”

5. FEDERAL RESERVE BANK – Rook

• Built 1964
• Architect: Hugh Stubbins & Associates
• Height / Area: 614 FT / 78,000 SF
• Fun Fact: Dollar bills from this bank have the letter A on them.

6. BACK BAY BOW FRONT ROW HOUSE – Pawn

• Built 1859-1900
• Architect: Arthur Gilman, Gridley James Fox Bryant (masterplan)
• Height / Area: 3-5 stories
• Fun Fact: Considered one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century urban architecture.

The Chess Set

Enjoy the Chess Boston Set with Roger: