For this year's Swarovski Designers of the Future awards, designers were challenged to create 3D-printed crystal sculptures that give new life to rejected Swarovski crystals. While the crystals may not have made the cut to be incorporated into jewelry designs, the material was successfully upcycled into inventive new designs, with the three award winners creating vases, solar panels and terrazzo.
For the Printed Crystal series, TAKT Project created ultra-thin, crystal-based candleholders with textures that would be impossible to make without additive manufacturing, even with some of the most tried-and-true techniques for working with crystal. As such, the studio notes: "By printing crystal we can in effect print light, a new way of thinking that will be part of shaping societies in the future."
As part of this project, the award-winning designers will be given the chance to create an installation for the upcoming Design Miami/Basel.
3D-Printed Crystal Sculptures
Swarovski's 'Printed Crystal' Gives New Life to Rejected Crystals
Trend Themes
1. Upcycling Crystals - Capitalizing on the overstock of Swarovski crystals by repurposing them with 3D printing technology provides a sustainable solution.
2. Ultra-thin 3D Printed Crystal - Creating textures that are impossible to make without additive manufacturing technology enables the creation of new designs and innovations in the lighting and decor industries.
3. 3D Printed Terrazzo - By using 3D printing to create terrazzo with upcycled crystals, a unique and customizable material is created that can be used for architectural and interior design projects.
Industry Implications
1. Jewelry Design - Incorporating 3D printing technology in jewelry design allows for new ways of working with crystals and other materials, freeing designers from traditional limitations.
2. Lighting Design - Using 3D printing technology to create ultra-thin and textured crystal components enables new possibilities in the creation of decorative and functional lighting devices.
3. Interior Design - The ability to customize the design of terrazzo through 3D printing allows for opportunities to create unique and sustainable flooring and walling materials for interior design projects.