The Vessel Collection is a series of 3D-printed, metal-plated vases. They are digitally designed and produced, and finished by hand by Alessandro. They are an experiment and exploration of the fine line between the digital and the crafted.
Part of the Vessel Collection, the Symbiotic Vases, when placed together vertically, co-exist seemingly like a single object. When split, they reveal their different finishing on the inside and when placed horizontally, they change function, becoming bowls for trinkets, fruits or hors d’oeuvres. The vases were 3D printed in clear plastic SLA, polished and then metal plated. The process was long and challenging, involving lots of experimentation and discussions, mainly due to the vases’ complex form that made the patination process unpredictable.
A first layer of copper was applied and then a layer of black metal patination. They were all finished by hand by relieving part of the black patination and revealing the copper colour hidden underneath. A series of samples were printed to test the relieving process. The vases are very strong and durable due to the electroforming at 300 microns and the nanocrystalline structure of the metals used.
The Symbiotic Vases, being an experiment of form making, embrace the broader design philosophy of the office based on perception, transformation and movement.
Photography by Nick Rochowski
