Design Contest

3DPRINTforAID a new contest promoted by MakeTank and Thingarage to reward socially useful objects printed in 3D

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3DPRINTforAID a new contest promoted by MakeTank and Thingarage to reward socially useful objects printed in 3D it has been modified: 2014-07-24 di Benedetto Fiori

An object printed in 3D can change a person's life or that of a community? The revolution of 3D printing can make the world a better place?

"We are convinced" says Laura De Benedetto, co-founder of MakeTank (www.maketank.it), the platform of the Italian Makers “and for this reason we decided to join 3DPRINTforAID.

A project born from an idea of ​​Thingarage (www.thingarage.com), with the collaboration of the technical partner Vectorealism, which intends to reward products of social utility made with the technique of 3D printing ".

3DPRINTforAID (www.thingarage.com/c/3dprintaid) is a contest designed to overcome the idea that 3D printing responds only to market logic based on the desire for individuality and exclusivity. The point of arrival of the contest is not the market, but the quality of life of the people.

The goal is to create a 3D printed object that can solve a concrete problem or become a humanitarian aid for developing populations.

"The invitation this time we address to Makers and Designers"Adds Laura De Benedetto, “Is to design an object that is not 'cool' from a design point of view, but useful for solving a real problem. We want to show that Digital Fabrication techniques are a perfect tool for self-producing designers, but also a driving force of the Third Industrial Revolution, among the few able to limit the negative impact of heavy industry and support the emergence of a model of more sustainable production: the widespread factory ".

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Participation in the competition is free and open to designers, individual or in groups, active throughout Europe.

To subscribe, go to the website (www.thingarage.com/c/3dprintaid), Fill out the form and send the documents required by Tuesday 23 September 2014.

Project evaluation will be based on five criteria: social utility, design innovation, low production costs, maximum functionality, simple feasibility.

The jury of the contest consists of: Antonello Balestrieri (CEO and co-founder Thingarage); Beatrice Costa (director of the Action Aid Italy department); Laura De Benedetto (co-founder MakeTank); Riccardo Luciani (director and co-founder Impact Hub Florence); Eleonora Ricca (designer and entrepreneur - Vectorealism). The prototype of the winning project will be created by the partner Vectorealism.

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“Why participate in the 3DPRINTforAID contest? I'd rather ask myself: why not do it "Says Antonello Balestrieri of Thingarage, “3DPRINTforAID is an ideal contest for a Maker: it has an open brief, very few constraints, it leaves a lot of space for creativity and inspiration. And above all it is for a good cause: to improve the living conditions of the less fortunate. It is certainly the most ambitious contest that Thingarage has hosted on the platform since its inception, but we are sure it will give us great satisfaction ".

The areas on which designers should focus? Beatrice Costa Action Aid has no doubts: “We would like Digital Fabrication to contribute to the promotion of the rights of small farmers in the world, with innovations that concern them, but also creations designed for women, so that they can no longer have to suffer discrimination and violence as it still happens today in the world. The highly technological inventions that bridge the gap of the lack of data and access to information by the most excluded will be the key to not (pre) dealing with hunger, poverty and exclusion in the future ”.

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