Plumen launch an exclusive 3D printed shade


September 26, 2017

(UK) – Plumen push the boundaries of traditional fabrication techniques in their new 3D printed shade Ruche. 3D printing applications are developing at a rapid pace, from in-the-field 3D printed parts for the military to 3D printed houses. And Plumen has explored how it can bring innovative beauty to the lighting category with this emerging technology.

Partnering with Designer and Engineer Hook Phanthasuporn, Plumen explored new forms and aesthetics made possible by the 3D printing process, while looking at how 3D printing can reduce the amount of polluting transportation required to get from fabrication to the end customer.

Plumen looked to create a form that, in keeping with their strong organic theme, had its roots in the natural world. Something that looked like it could have grown from a seed. Something that would look familiar, yet would be impossible to create in any other way than through the 3D printing technique.

Ruche is made up of repeating strips that, like leaf forms, flow from youthful tips to mature, fanned out fins. These fins cut across each other in an impossible configuration that still, to the eye, feel harmonious and natural. Adjusting the repeating forms allows the vessels to grow to larger volumes, harmonising with the various bulb formats in Plumen’s growing range.

Viewed from above, the bulb is barely visible but, like the opening of a flower, the beauty of the bulb is gradually revealed as the eye moves down the shade. Slips of light escape like rays of sun through trees, while the open base allows the brightness of the bulb to fully illuminate the surface below.

www.plumen.com