Dendritas: Unique 3D Printed Nature Based Flower Pots Formulated Through Algorithms

One of the amazing things about 3D printing, is that it allows for a new form of art that was not available to most artists only a few years ago. Sure, you could design 3-dimensional objects on a computer, but bringing those objects to life became a very daunting task, without a 3D printer at your disposal. With the advent and increasing availability of 3D printing, these artists can now create tangible works of art out of what was previously only viewable on a computer monitor.

One artist, by the name of of Vicente Gasco is certainly one of these artists who can fully appreciate the opportunities presented to him through 3D printing. Gasco, who studied at the Institute for Advanced Architecture, in Barcelona Spain, is the founder of a Puerto Rican based company called Tredé. They specialize in FFF fabrication, with stereolithography becoming available soon.

Gasco’s latest 3D designs are what are called Dendritas. Dendrites are part of a generative design research field which explores the intersection of mathematics, science and art. The designs are based on mathematical fractal growth algorithms, which create designs that are often found in nature, such as in crystals, tree roots, veins, brains, and corals.

“Based on Daniel Piker’s DLA explorations, the parametric algorithm programmed in Rhinoceros plug-in, Grasshopper, aims to generate a design scheme, variations and outcome to what could further become a design language to generate products such as jewelry, wearables, vases, etc,” Gasco explained.

Gasco has used these algorithms to come up with unique 3D printable designs, one of which he has made available for free on Thingiverse, as a flower pot that he calls Dendritas. Two different fabrication files are available in STL form on Thingiverse, but Gasco says that “due to the nature of how the geometry is generated, each piece is unique”. He is also selling already printed versions of this flower pot on Etsy for $50.00 a piece.

Gasco is just one of the many artists who are utilizing 3D printing to create beautiful works of art that would not have been available a decade ago.  It should be interesting to see how other artists take these algorithms and create other useful objects based on dendrites.

Have you printed one of these flower pots? Let us know what you think about these unique Dendritas, and show off your prints in the Dendritas forum thread on 3DPB.com