Decibel and Caracol Fabricate 30 Large-Scale Benches for Coachella

New Jersey-based Decibel Made partnered with Italian robotic manufacturing firm Caracol to create a significant 3D printed installation for the SKYLRK OASIS at Coachella 2026. The project involved the production of 30 large-scale benches, each measuring nearly seven feet in length, designed to serve as gathering spaces within an immersive environment.

The rapid turnaround for the project highlights the advantages of additive manufacturing for custom, large-scale projects. According to Decibel co-founder Adam Hecht, the design and prototyping phase began in early March, with all 30 benches fabricated over the subsequent two and a half weeks. Hecht noted that achieving such a timeline with traditional methods like fiberglass or concrete would have been exceptionally difficult, if not impossible.

The SKYLRK team emphasized the importance of unique, brand-aligned elements, stating that they would have opted for no installation rather than a generic design that did not reflect their brand. This bespoke requirement further underscored the value of 3D printing's ability to produce complex, custom geometries.

Utilizing robotic large-format additive manufacturing, Decibel and Caracol were able to create organic shapes that would have been prohibitively expensive and complex to produce using conventional molding or fabrication techniques. The benches, while hollow and lightweight, were engineered to be durable enough for outdoor use and high pedestrian traffic. The production process also demonstrated distributed manufacturing, with half the benches produced in New Jersey and the other half in Texas before being transported to California for assembly, eliminating the need to move tooling or relocate production facilities.