Olivier Van Herpt Crafts Beautifully Functional 3D-Printed Ceramics

Dutch designer Olivier Van Herpt has been experimenting with 3D printing for many years. But it wasn’t until he made his own machine that he managed to craft the imposing designs he imagined. Olivier created his own extruder and experimented with different types of clay before coming up with his stunning Functional 3D Printed Ceramics collection.

Eindhoven-based Van Herpt wanted to create a line of human-scaled housewares, but the desktop 3D printers available at the time made the items too costly to produce. They also were low in heat resistance and could not be food safe So, after two years of experimenting with different machines and mixes of clay, he finally set out to build his own printing tool. Another step in the right direction occurred when he moved away from the mix of clay and water, and started using hard clay to master cool, detailed results.

3D-printed vases, bowls, and cups are all part of this collaboration between a man and his machine. Van Herpt´s own extruder allowed him to come up with a beautiful housewares collection characterized by delicate thin shapes and unique smooth textures. It’s a beautiful example of unique artisan objects made from cutting-edge technology.

If you enjoyed Olivier’s works, check his 3D Printed Beeswax and 3D Dripping experiments at his website here.

Photos courtesy of Olivier Van Herpt