German design studio WertelOberfell experimented with 3D printing to create”Panel Light”, based on Isamu Noguchi’s paper lanterns. They can be printed very quickly and use very little material.

WertelOberfell is a design studio based in Munich, Germany which has been experimenting in “optimising 3D printing”. They’ve now come up with the beautiful “Panel Light”.

The design is based on paper lanterns by Isamu Noguchi but offers a modern take. Panel Light is made up of flat parts and the design is directly 3D printed onto Japanese silk paper. This process enables short printing times and very little material usage.

The designers experimented by 3D printing directly onto many different carrier materials such as textiles, plastic foils and paper. By printing directly onto these materials, the designers realized that they add physical properties to them.

However, out of the many materials tested by the design studio, Japanese silk paper was the favorite material. “In search of a possible and a suitable application, for us being product designers, the subject lighting fixtures emerged,” explains the design studio’s website.

Japanese Silk Paper and 3D Printing Creates Beautiful Lamps

The chosen Japanese silk paper reinforces the lighting frames. But, using these flat parts, it’s possible to create different Panel Lights with different patterns and geometries.

Thanks to being able to change the patterns of the lights, the designers can also control the properties they add. For example, making certain Panel Lights more stiff or flexible.

“The chosen lamp shade forms are platonic and Catalan solids, that are built from identical flat parts. Different micro- and macro structures, that are directly printed onto Japanese silk paper, help to reinforce the main frame parts,” the studio says.

To generate the structures, WertelOberfell designers use Ultimaker’s Cura software. They explain that using this software makes the 3D printing process quick and reliable.

If you’d like to see the collection of 3D printed lanterns, they’ll be on display at Munich’s creative business week 2018. This will be taking place between March 3rd and 11th as part of the VICIS exhibition.

Source: Designboom