The egg will go on display February 21, when the UK’s capital becomes home to 200 giant and uniquely crafted Easter eggs during the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt.
The collaboration between Fourfoursixsix, EOS and Ogle Models has facilitated the design and production of an exceptional piece that is at the forefront of three-dimensional design and manufacturing methods, demonstrating how additive manufacturing can deliver outstanding results that are impossible to create with any other method.
Daniel Welham of Fourfoursixsix explains their design approach for the egg, “We decided to consciously move away from the development of a merely surface treatment to the egg. The geometry in question provided us with the perfect platform to begin applying a set of architectural principles to the overall form. Through this process we played with structure, light and shadow and began to develop a three-dimensional architectural terrain.”
He adds, “Conceptually, the design works around a rational grid of components that have been configured to react to both light and scale across the surface of the egg. Each component incorporates an aperture within its design that can adjust to control the amount of light entering the internal space of the form.”
Designing and manufacturing the egg formed an opportunity to combine this technology with the latest additive manufacturing process, known as laser sintering, to create a highly intricate sculptural form. This format allowed Fourfoursixsix to apply a playful and avant-garde approach to the treatment of the piece, free from the limitations that more formal construction approaches may have held.
Stuart Jackson, EOS regional manager for the UK, explains why the company did not hesitate to join this exciting project, “As a mainly engineer-driven company we normally focus on industry applications in aerospace, medical, automotive and the like. The egg is a perfect example of laser-sintering applications that can catch people’s imagination on another level. Parts can be created that would not have been possible with conventional manufacturing technologies. As such, this laser-sintered egg is a perfect example of the vast possibilities the technology can offer.”