Foster and Partners is an international studio for architecture, planning and design, led by Lord Norman Foster.
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We worked with Foster + Partners to help them create their state-of-the-art ‘Tree of Reflections' Christmas Tree for Save the Children, using our Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology.
Save the Children lit their Golden Tree of Wishes at Somerset House on 21st November. Also launched that night was a ‘Festival of Trees'; a collection of one-off Christmas trees created by leading designers from the world of fashion and luxury design. The trees were put on display in the window of Coutts & Co in The Strand.
Foster + Partners' ‘Tree of Reflections' is the first of a kind, combining traditional decoration with completely new techniques and materials, creating a one-off architectural masterpiece. World renowned for their architecture, Foster's approached the design of the Christmas tree much like that of a building, considering the structure, scale, envelope, light and shadow.
The concept was derived both from the archetypal conical form of a Christmas tree as it is instinctively drawn by children, as well as the structure of a natural tree with its many layers of leaves and its complex geometry.
The layering effect and intricate geometries lent themselves perfectly to our Rapid Prototyping services. Our Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology is ideal for producing complex shapes and surfaces, and is a much quicker, more accurate and cost-effective process when compared to other more traditional model-making techniques. The layers of white-nylon leaves generated a dynamic play of light and shadow which illuminated the surrounding space with shimmering patterns.
All of the specially designed trees were presented to HRH Princess Anne at the Festival of Trees Gala Dinner at the Natural History Museum on 5th December, and auctioned to raise money for Save the Children. Foster's ‘Tree of Reflections' sold for £15,000 to a gentleman called Nasa Khan, who wanted to give it to HRH Princess Anne as a gift.
| Stuart Offer, Sales Manager at 3T said "We were delighted to be asked by Foster + Partners to assist them in this project, and our SLS techniques created a wonderful effect for their Christmas tree. Each year, we issue a Christmas message to all our customers via email, rather than sending traditional printed cards, and donate the money instead to a charity. This year, in conjunction with Fosters, we are supporting Save the Children". |
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