Gothic Tracery Bowls

These three elegant bowls pay homage to the captivating world of Gothic architecture, specifically the iconic tracery that played a central role in cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. Inspired by the "Cathedral Design Contest" on Makerworld, I've designed the bowls in the style of Gothic windows: The inner divisions follow the classic patterns of two-light tracery (two pointed-arch fields, “Zweischneuß”), three-light tracery (three fields, “Dreischneuß”), and four-light tracery (four fields, ”Vierschneuß”). The included photos show real examples from monasteries and churches to highlight design and historical connection. 

These bowls bring this tradition into modern 3D printing: Functional as storage solutions, aesthetically as mini-cathedrals on your table. 

Print Details

I’ve conducted several test prints and found that the bowls look best when printed with “Bambu PLA Desert Tan” or "Elegoo Matte Beige" filament – their warm, sandy tone enhances the Gothic aesthetic and gives the models an authentic, stone-like appearance. For the sake of available storage space, I’ve omitted further subdivision with cusps (the delicate pointed ornaments often seen in tracery, as shown in the attached images) — keeping the models sturdy and versatile. 

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Architectural Deep Dive

These elements served not only as decoration in the Gothic era but were essential for constructing large window areas filled with stained glass—they bore the weight of stone structures, allowed more light into the interior, and symbolized spiritual illumination. Tracery was an indispensable feature from Early Gothic (from around 1140) to Late Gothic (into the 16th century) in nearly all European Gothic buildings. It evolved from simple plate tracery (e.g., in Chartres Cathedral) to intricate bar tracery (as in Reims Cathedral or Westminster Abbey), dominating entire facades and clerestory levels. In cathedrals like Notre-Dame in Paris, Cologne, or Lincoln Cathedral, hundreds of such windows occupied up to 80% of the wall surface, revolutionizing construction—flying buttresses made this possible by redirecting loads. Even in monasteries like the Abbey of Saint-Denis or Cîteaux, tracery was common to fill modest spaces with heavenly light. Without tracery, there would be no Gothic masterpieces like these; it was so frequent that it became the hallmark of the era, evident in over 500 surviving Gothic churches and cathedrals.