Dear Shaded Viewers,
Stijn Verlinden and Tom Tack drove me to the sleek .MGX by Materialise creative and production unit in Leuven last week. As a global company specialized in 3D printing and rapid prototyping, it keeps on pushing the envelope and coming up with technological developments. I first came across their name when Iris van Herpen started collaborating with them, designing unique pieces for her catwalk shows. In the design world, 3D printing allows the creation of shapes that would not be possible with other materials or techniques.
Would you believe that these lamps were actually made out of powder? In Leuven, sophisticated machines produce all these objects, using resin or polyamide. Each machine works layer by layer, sculpting the powder with high power lasers. Iris told me that one of her pieces took a week to make, with a machine working 24 hours a day. The technology is just breathtaking.
Tom and Stijn were busy admiring the company's latest designs, involving stars of the design world, such as Xavier Lust, Janne Kyttanen, Luc Merx and Patrick Jouin.
I was captivated by a pair of white shoes, designed by Swedish student Naim Josefi. Using laser sintering, they are 100% polyamide, light and very resistant. In other words, this is the future of footwear.
Best,
Philippe
