Hot Off The Press

The 3D printing industry’s most innovative minds are seeking to break convention and rewrite design rules. miki doan and zara zhuang report.

The concept of imagining an object and having it materialise before your eyes at the press of a button is slowly but surely gaining a foothold across the design world. We take a look at some of the most creative pioneers of this emerging medium.

VIRGINIA SAN FRATELLO & RONALD RAEL

Be it environmental activism or social involvement, California-based dynamic duo Virginia San Fratello and Ronald Rael prove that design generates impact that goes beyond aesthetics. When the world was occupied with the US presidential elections, design might have seemed far from the minds of some. But with a finger on the pulse of societal sentiment and a strong interest in sustainability, San Fratello and Rael turned out Bad Ombré, a series of 3D-printed ceramic vessels that were a direct response to Donald Trump’s suggestion that there were “bad hombres” pouring across the border, then stating his proposal to erect a wall to divide Mexico from the US.

The clay in this collection comes from different regions around the world and is then mixed together. “No Ombré in this collection will ever be recreated exactly the same way,” San Fratello explains. “Failure, individuality, distinct character and unique markings are what make each unique – their differences make them one-of-a-kind but the transience of material binds them together.”