Alissia Melka-Teichroew is one of those artists, her design studio byAMT approached Freedom Of Creation to help her with manufacturing & finishing of the Jointed Jewels line.

Jointed Jewels represents a union of new and old, organic and industrial, functional and decorative. At the heart of the project is the intention to transform complex and separate elements into a new kind of whole. It started as an exploration of ball joints, commonly found in cars and hip replacements. Alissia Melka-Teichroew had the idea of creating a ball joint -normally assembled with separate parts- as one single piece.

We produced the jewelry through use of selective laser sintering, in this way it is possible to literally make a ball inside a ball. Hence, the industrial connecter was transformed into an object of beauty and wonder. A clean and striking jewelry collection was created around this innovative concept. Each piece has been made with the same technique: it seems like an intricately assembled object but is in fact one single piece that was made in one go.

Although the jointed pieces share the same birthing process, each item has a different identity. There are round, square, long and tubular forms that pick up references from recognizable icons of classic jewelry. Many of the bangles, necklaces and rings are interpretations of renaissance and Victorian jewels and there are also references to intricately made and very precious pieces by luxury brands like Bulgari and Cartier.

In addition, there are multi-tiered necklaces that display connecting joints that resemble human bone structure. The collection features both colored and white jewelry. The collaboration between byAMT and FOC  result in a special rendition of the colors dark blue/grey, pink and yellow, which was presented in during the Salone del Mobile 2010 in Milan, Italy.

Jointed Jewels is a work in progress. As the range continues to evolve and expand, it will be joined by “family members” in other product genres.

All the Jointed Pieces share the same DNA, they are based around the 3D printed ball joints and made in one single process.

Interested in using 3D printing technologies for production of design products, small series, art pieces or kick-ass marketing campaigns get in touch with Michiel or Ilko.

photo’s: Lisa Klappe, text: FOC & Johanna Lenander

FOC will showcase a decade of research activity and excellence in 3D printed design, evidenced by a multitude of milestone achievements and underscored by an array of products and projects distinguished by awards and accolades from around the world.

Since FOC was founded in Helsinki by Janne Kyttanen, June 2000, we thought it would be nice to go back to the roots and showcase our decade of work during the Helsinki Design Week. On our 200 square meter exhibition space  we will display several products from the FOC Collection as well as give sneak previews of brand new products to be launched shortly. Also an overview of the countless projects we have done for a number of international clients will be showcased.

Venue
Cable Factory
Merikaapelihalli
Tallberginkatu 1
00180 HELSINKI
FINLAND

Inauguration 1.9.2010
Wed:    13:00-23:00
Invitation only

Opening times 2-4.9.2010
Thu-Fri:    11:00-23:00
Sat:    11:00-17:00

Who still thinks that 3D Printed products are by definition expensive?! Purchase these innovative items in our online store today and surprise someone close (or yourself) with a truly original product.

*Talent rings are no longer sold in the 3D printed cylinder shaped packaging, but in a plain black box.

The jury had a fierce discussion on who to select from three entries: ‘Linguini’ by Lionel Dean, ‘B100’ by Peter Hermans and ‘Freshfibers’ by Josien Pieters. The jury praised the forward thinking of Lionel Dean and the intriguing, innovative shape of the Linguini case. B100 was classified as a fun gimmick and a real conversation piece. ‘Freshfibers’ was finally selected as winner, because according to the jury this entry is an original answer to the first design criterion of the assignment that was provided by Freshfiber; “make the Blackberry use more fun, or have more impact”.

The user starts of with a case consisting of 48 detachable, mono-colored pieces: ‘Freshfibers’. These Freshfibers can be swapped with users that have a different color, in Josien her entry matching the country that the user lives in. The jury thinks the case can become a very social thing, since ‘Freshfibers’ can really stimulate (physical) interaction between global Blackberry users. The anticipated vivid (online) trade of Freshfibers can definitely increase the fun and impact of having a Blackberry and should result in increased social interaction. Also the scarcity of some Freshfibers’ colors can result in real collector’s items.

Honorable mention

Lionel Dean, designer of the ‘Linguini’ case, which was praised by the jury for its intriguing, innovative shape: “You’re serious about your networking. You need your Blackberry always to hand. You wear it around your neck in a case that holds it upside down. That way you just grab it and respond.”

Peter Hermans about the B100 case design, which was seen by the jury as a strong conversation piece: “This Blackberry B100 case was inspired by – and is names after – the criminal mastermind from Dutch 80’s children’s show ‘ Bassie & Adriaan’. How’s that for nostalgia! Also inspired by IBM thinkpads and practically any 80’s mobile phone. It’s soo retro that it is contemporary again. Soo ugly that you will want one. Oh and the antenna may not be functional, it is retractable!”

About the third jury member: Frank Tjepkema

Frank Tjepkema took part in the jury as third and final member, next to Janne Kyttanen (FOC) and Jurjen Rolf (Freshfiber). Frank Tjepkema is founder of the design studio in Amsterdam, called ‘Tjep.’. From the Tjep website: “Tjep. works in a diversity of fields: from a Tiara for Princess Maxima to a nest consisting of giant rubber branches as a sofa. From the development of champaign popcorn for Volkswagen to complete interiors and identities for restaurants, schools and shops. Tjep. works for companies such as Droog, British Airways, Camper, Heineken and Ikea. In every project the objective is to challenge conventional views, every project starts with a ‘why?’. The execution, on the other hand, should be a delicious cocktail combining innovative ideas with functionality and visual elegance. Ultimately we are designing to add a little quality, energy and amazement to the world. ”

Gaudi Stool was designed using the same method as Antoni Gaudi, who made models of hanging chains, which upside-down showed him the strongest shape for his churches. Additionally, to be able to determine the structure of the chair’s backrest, a software script was used.

The script was based on three steps: First the distribution of forces across the surface of the chair. Secondly the direction of forces defined the direction of the ribs. Finally the amount of force specified the height of a rib.

Materials and techniques were chosen to create a lightweight chair. The surface is of carbonfiber, the ribs are made of glass-filled nylon, by selective laser sintering.

The project researches how new technoloqy can be based on simple, logical concepts. In this case a concept which has proven it’s strength and beauty for over a hundred years

Deadline: August 22nd 2010
Submission: E-mail your photos to bram@freedomofcreation.com*
Resolution: Minimum 1500 pixels wide, but preference for higher resolutions
Prize: Winner of the contest receives a free Dahlia (D32) or 1597 (D32). Winning photo will be announced on the FOC website on September 1st 2010

Here are some examples of frequently used interior pictures of our lights:

*By participating in this photo contest, Freedom Of Creation is entitled to use your entry for commercial and/or communication purposes.

About Mittelmoda:

Mittelmoda is one of the most sought-after and well-known fashion competitions at an international level. Created in 1993, the project Mittelmoda has been developing an international network of contacts with over 620 schools of fashion design in 66 countries, thus becoming a concrete chance of exchange and comparison for the international creativity.

A high-profile judging panel had selected 24 finalists out of over 700 portfolios. In the morning of July 1st all designers had to present their work to the judges and later in the evening the event culminated with a final fashion show that took place in Gorizia, Italy.

About designing with Freedom Of Creation:

At Freedom Of Creation we focus on designing with Rapid Manufacturing technologies, we are pioneering the design side of 3D printing. Are you an artists or designer and would like to work with 3D printing technologies drop us a line or give us a ring.

Photos copyright & credits: Fabio Tortul

From our clients we notice that there is strong demand for a new hanging light that is in line with the organic series mentioned above. Demand for a new hanging light is strongest, because the Collection portfolio at the moment only includes one hanging light model: ‘Palm’.

Assignment

We hope the Talents realize that this is the most challenging assignment so far. To get a proper overview of the FOC lighting portfolio take a look here and here.

The light we will ask you to design has a G9 fitting that can fit one 40 Watt Halogen bulb. Since the light output is relatively low, it is more a decorative light than a functional light. In the Talent area you will find a 3D file of the light fitting, halogen bulb and cable. We ask the Talents to design the SHADE around the bulb.

Below you can find a summary of the design criteria:

Demands:
1.    The maximum production bounding box volume of the light is 4000 cm3. So: length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm) = Max. 4000. The amount of material is not important, only the virtual square surrounding box matters (for example: 20 x 20 x 10cm or 40 x 10 x 10cm)
2.    The minimal distance between the shade and the bulb is 3cm, in order to prevent heat problems. Also the shade should have openings (especially on top) to allow for ventilation.
3.    Design should have a strong unique identity, but should also be coherent with the other FOC lights
4.    Design should be original and not resemble any other light currently on the market
5.    It should be clear that 3D-Printing is the only way to manufacture the design
6.    Object should be 3D-printable in white, SLS Polyamide-12 (see tutorial in Talent area)

Preference for designs that:
7.    Utilize the semi-translucency of SLS Polyamide
8.    Utilize the cast shadows and diffused shadows that the light source generates
9.    Minimize chances of looking directly into the light bulb  
10.    Can be easily scaled up, without losing visual appeal
11.    Have the potential to be turned into a complete lighting series, including a sconce and table light
12.    Can be efficiently produced, by making them stackable (Riot light shades) or by making them flexible (Filament light shade)

Deliverables
E-mail the following to talents@freedomofcreation.com before September 1st 2010 at 11:59pm CET:
•    3D-file of your design in STL-format
•    PDF-file explaining the concept
•    2 renderings according to render set-up (at least 1000 px wide), downloadable from the Talent area

General info
Submission deadline: September 1st 2010
Announcement of winning Talent: September 22nd 2010
Jury: Janne Kyttanen (FOC), Saskia Bakker (Owner of Interior store ‘Edha Interieur’) and third jury member still to be announced.
First Prize: The winning design will be added to the FOC Collection and the designer will receive a 3D-Printed ‘copy’ of his/her design*.

*In this assignment we will only commercialize and award design(s) that are mind-blowingly beautiful, since anything less will only harm the FOC Collection brand image. Royalty percentage for designs that are added to the FOC Collection is 5%.

*Only submissions from pre-selected FOC Talents will be reviewed for this design brief! In exceptional cases FOC will invite additional Talents to the network. If you are an exceptional designer with advanced CAD skills and 3D Printing experience, you can apply by sending your portfolio to talents@freedomofcreation.com

About the FOC Collection
FOC Collection lights are trendsetters in the new era of digitally generated consumer products. These products are much more than stunning beauties. They are also models for localized manufacturing and distribution logistics, where no stock, no assembly, minimal transportation, environmentally friendliness and just-in-time production are the future goals. All FOC Collection designs use the latest manufacturing techniques, which enable the direct manufacturing of products via 3D Software and they push the envelope of innovation to its limits.

“The vase was created with the act of flower arranging in mind. Through slight alterations in surface treatment, the vase, though familiar in form, becomes unfamiliar in use, moving the classical decoration beyond its conventional aesthetic appeal to now house a strange functional role. It accentuates the act of flower arranging but does so in a discreet way, playing up the characteristic already inherent in the aesthetic of the vase, but using it to create something new, discrete.

Imagine the vase full, all of the flowers stems slotting through the tear drops so that the vase itself begins to disappear behind a wall of stems. Through the act of flower arranging the vase can very simply transform in aesthetic”.

The vase was produced with a 3d printing technology called ‘selective laser sintering’. The material we used for this is white nylon, the vase was finished off with a layer of high gloss white.

Read more about the selected Blackberry case designs below‘I heart downtown’ – Sam Abbott
Sam Abbott about the inspiration for his design: “The Blackberry is associated with a metropolitan and multi-tasking lifestyle, just like life in a city. The I heart downtown Blackberry case is constructed from many elements of this life, complete with skyline, cars, people, graffiti and even some pigeons. Reminding us why we love life in a city.”

‘B100’ – Peter Hermans
Peter Hermans his intro: “Ahhh…the good old days! Remember when your phone couldn’t fit in your pocket? When you could mistake your sim card for your creditcard? When simply picking up the phone was exercise in itself? No? Me neither. Still, there’s nothing wrong with nostalgia.”
And then he clarifies the concept: “This Blackberry B100 case was inspired by – and is names after – the criminal mastermind from Dutch 80’s children’s show ‘ Bassie & Adriaan’. How’s that for nostalgia! Also inspired by IBM thinkpads and practically any 80’s mobile phone. It’s soo retro that it is contemporary again. Soo ugly that you will want one. Oh and the antenna may not be functional, it is retractable!”

‘Freshfibers’ – Josien Pieters
Josien Pieters about her design: “Why would you use a case only to protect your phone, when you can also use it for connecting to people, expressing your creativity or simply spicing up your Blackberry? Your freshfibers will tell a story and your case will keep evolving along with you. You start with a mono colored version matching with the designated color of your country. So now that you have your own fibers, you can start your search and swap them with users from other countries. After a trip to Australia you will have that fresh color that none of your friends have!”

‘Linguini’– Lionel Dean
Lionel Dean: “You’re serious about your networking. You need your Blackberry always to hand. You wear it around your neck in a case that holds it upside down. That way you just grab it and respond.”

If you are interested and are a young and talented designer with advanced CAD skills, you can send your portfolio to: bram@freedomofcreation.com