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Gridded Globe, 3D Printed Home Decor Inspired by 1964 Unisphere

Gridded Globe, 3D Printed Home Decor Inspired by 1964 Unisphere, design preview, hero tilt

Design preview. Rendered from the file, not a photo.

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What it does

  • Hold the world in your hand with this iconic geometric globe design
  • Inspired by the Unisphere from the 1964 New York World's Fair
  • Striking lattice structure adds modern sculptural appeal to any room
  • Perfect conversation piece for desks, shelves, and display cases
  • Digitally fabricated from detailed 3D print files for crisp geometry

The Gridded Globe is a stunning piece of 3D printed home decor that captures the iconic silhouette of the Unisphere, the monumental steel globe built for the 1964 New York World's Fair. This miniature tribute features the same distinctive lattice framework, transforming a midcentury landmark into a desktop-ready 3D print that celebrates both retro-futurism and modern maker culture.

Designed by Michael Curry for a 2012 WIRED magazine feature, the Gridded Globe showcases the precision possible with digital fabrication. Its open grid structure creates dramatic shadows and reveals the spherical geometry from every angle, making it equally at home on a bookshelf, office desk, or display cabinet.

More than just a decorative object, this piece invites you to literally hold the world in the palm of your hand. The intricate web of meridians and parallels creates a sculptural quality that shifts as you rotate it, offering new perspectives with each viewing angle. It's a perfect gift for world travelers, history enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates the intersection of design and technology.

17k downloads in the maker community. That is interest in the design on the site it came from, not our sales.

What you get

  • This design prints as one piece.
  • Nothing else to print or buy for this to work.

What it is made of

Designs like this print well in PLA. Compare the materials.

Printed plastic is strong for its size, but it is not metal. We have not load tested this design, so we do not publish a weight rating. Keep it out of a hot car and away from open flame.

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Who made this design

Designed by MakerBot. We did not draw it.

Shared under Creative Commons, credit required. See the original design