Functional 3D Printed Ceramics

Olivier van Herpt’s design studio is in Eindhoven, where he expands the possibilities of 3D printing. Van Herpt flattens the production chain standing between designer and user by reimagining the applicability of 3D printing in creative fields.

More and more materials can be printed in 3D, including clay. For his 2016 New Material Award-winning project Functional 3D Printed Ceramics, van Herpt built a 3D clay printer. Because clay is an inherently malleable material, chance plays a role in the printing process. This gives rise to the intersection of a traditionally hand-crafted product with advanced technology. Van Herpt has further developed these techniques, manufacturing 3D printed ceramics both unique and scalable. He also looks to build an even larger printer that can produce ceramic construction elements.