phase design gave the same design brief to 5 different designers/design groups: design a candleholder based on a solid american walnut block (12” x 9” x 1.75”) with turned brass inserts. same starting point, but very different results.

Bearing – Claesson Koivisto Rune	Luna – Khodi Feiz
Block – Arik Levy	Bias – Mike & Maaike
Ziba – Phase Design/Reza Feiz

via design milk

looking at it a while ago, shapeways seemed like just another rapid prototyping service. but in addition to the standard collection of different plastic materials, they also offer models in stainless steel. and until the end of this month, even with an optional gold plating. seems like a great way to design and build jewelry.

mentioned here before, cloudFab recently came out of beta and released a new version of their site. by working together with different service providers offering a wide variety of processes and material, the site now automatically generates production & shipping costs for every 3D printing process.

“as far as i was concerned, it never was a feud; detroit simply had no use for my ideas as long as the public wanted large cars with all their accessories, which detroit could sell, inducing higher price tags.

and businessmen rarely express appreciation for ideas that may lower their income. in point of fact, they wouldn’t have; while detroit was building gas guzzlers, the germans and japanese, with their more modest cars, ran away with the world market.”

- raymond loewy, industrial design, 1979

spanish furniture company viccarbe.

german furniture and lighting company dua.

danish design company muuto, with a collection of scandinavian designs.

and yet another online rapid prototyping service: cloudFab does not produce the pieces themselves, but rather works by connecting buyers and sellers, allowing you to get multiple quotes in one place.

it is in a closed-beta version at this point, but you can sign up for an invite to be notified once it is opening up for the general public.