Sep 28, 2015 | By Kira
We have seen quite a few stunning designs for 3D printed high heels in the past, including United Nude and 3DS’s 3D printed Ice Block shoes, this jaw-dropping sculptural collection, and a series designed by Jimmy Choo award-winner Zoe Jia-Yu Dai. While each of these are aesthetic marvels, fully taking advantage of 3D printing technology to create shapes and structures that would be impossible with traditional manufacturing methods, they are explicitly targeted at the high-end, luxury fashion market, where style indisputably trumps comfort.
Tehran-based designer Behrad Ghodsi wanted to flip that concept on its head, and develop a range of concepts for 3D printable footwear that are at once stylish and comfortable, customizable and consumer-based, and to top it all off, made from sustainable materials. The result is Atossa, a 3D printed high heel for the consumer market.
3D printing itself is also more of a specialized, designer market that is not yet adapted for at-home, consumer use. Experts have predicted that in the near future (however far away that is,) everyone will have their own 3D printer to make or repair household items, but in 2015, very few of us can create complex items at home, never mind ones that are well-designed, ergonomic and affordable.
“The idea is to build a consumer-based system, which reduces labor for manufacturing and provides ease of access to new products for consumers. The end-goal being to allow everyone to use these available designs and print usable products using a regular 3D printer,” said Ghodsi. With 3D printing, the production speeds would increase, while costs would be reduced.
To that end, he specifically designed the shoe so that a regular 3D printer could make it without fail. The CAD files will also be made available to printer owners for further customization and so that they can print multiple pairs.
To design the shoe, he began by sketching out 2D models inspired by intricate and organic bone structures. He then 3D printed a prototype and asked several people to try them on and provide specific feedback on the style and ergonomics so that he could refine the concept.
The next challenge was finding a way to connect the upper and lower parts. He tried using straps, or printing parts that would attach to the bottom piece, however they were either not strong enough, or didn’t allow the foot to fit comfortably inside the shoe. In the end, he developed two concepts, which wearers’ can select based on their style preferences and comfort level.
Ghodsi turned to 3D printing not only to create the fine and intricate pattern of the heel, which would be impractical using traditional methods such as machining or moulding, but also to make the shoe as customizable as possible. Users can modify the shoe’s ergonomics based on their individual foot physiques by manipulating the arch, heels and length measurements digitally.
At last, we have a 3D printed heel that equally combines Style, Sustainability, Ergonomics and Manufacturing.
Ghodsi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from Art University of Tehran and a Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. Much like the 3D printed Atossa shoe, many of his design projects, such as a sustainable refrigerator, a purifying transportation system, and an upcycled lamp, explore the intersection between style, everyday objects, and sustainability. He has recently been working with 3D printing and its potential to be used to improve our every day lives.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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