At first glance the Print the Future shop in midtown Manhattan looks much like any other sleek designer homeware store. Look closer, however, and you’ll notice that the geometric stools, chunky chairs, and curvaceous settee have something rather unusual in common. They’ve all been 3D printed by a machine like the one currently whirring away in the back of the room as it makes a bright blue stool to add to this stylish display.
The idea behind Print the Future is to enable a community of designers to convert their ideas into 3D objects that are both practical and beautiful, and to sell these directly to consumers. Their pop-up shop—which stays open in Manhattan until March 31st—is to show these consumers that the technology has moved beyond being a gimmick and is now a viable way to produce customized and useful products.