A joint project by the design and engineering agency WeProductise and the PiP Store eco-3D print shop, wants to reinvent the ancient artisan tradition of Portuguese filigree by 3D printing a collection of individual artefacts using biocompatible PLA.
Filigree is an ancient kind of jewellery work and the art is believed to originate from pre-Roman times, as early as 3000 BC. It has spread across many different cultures throughout the world and in a way it can be considered an ancestor of additive manufacturing, in the sense that it creates jewellery by soldering new parts together rather than chiseling away at the raw materials.
Portugal – where some believe the technique first originated – has a long standing tradition with filigree, which culminated in the extraordinarily complex Portuguese filigree works of the 17th and 18th century.
Through the new digital manufacturing technologies, WeProductise is envisioning filigree designs for future generations, starting from the beautiful 3D printed artefacts that will be available in 15 different colours, each numbered to outline its individual features. The collection will be presented both online and through a series of events that will take place throughout Portugal until the end of June, writing a new chapter to the history of this beautiful multi-millenary form of artistic expression.
