In the new year, the VUB webshop will offer atmospheric 3D-printed lamps for sale. The lamps are decorated with images from the iconic wall drawings in the Braem building. The product, named Pic-To-Lamp, is created by PrintPlace, a startup co-founded by VUB alumnus Wesly Jacobs.
“For the special edition of the VUB Pic-To-Lamp, we made two deliberate choices. We have materialised the VUB slogan 'Scientia Vincere Tenebras' (through science, overcome the darkness) on the lamp. This actually embodies what the VUB stands for, and as a VUB alumnus, it makes me extremely proud. Additionally, a Braem drawing is depicted on the lampshade, which makes it even more beautiful."
Murals
Between 1976 and 1984, architect Renaat Braem personally created murals on the interior walls of all floors of the rectorate building. These murals, spanning 500 linear metres, tell Braem's distinctive worldview in a continuous narrative. They depict the creation of the cosmos and the Earth, the origin of life, the development of plants, animals, and humanity, culminating in the ultimate liberation of mankind within an open community, after it has fought for its freedom. For this special version of the VUB lamp, a selection of three drawings was made.
The design of the lamp is inspired by the drawings in the Braem building.
With his startup, Wesly Jacobs has succeeded in creating a sustainable, personalised, and accessible 3D product. “There are 3D products available for consumers, but they often remain niche and are typically very expensive. In terms of accessibility, we are quite unique. We have an online shop where the customer can upload their own image, from which an automatic 3D model of the lampshade is created. The lampshade is made from rPLA, a strong, recycled, and recyclable plastic based on biomaterials. So, over time, you can simply recycle it and order a new lampshade if you want a different design.”
The Holy Grail
"During my studies as a Business Engineer, I had the chance to start a business thanks to Marc Goldchstein, Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship and Project Leader at VUB TechTransfer. This allowed me to turn my passion for 3D printing into a career. It's not a new technology—it's been around since the 1980s—but Marc taught me the importance of finding the right applications for the technology. Even publicly traded companies struggle with that. Creating a business-to-consumer, customisable mass product is essentially the Holy Grail within the global 3D printing industry, especially when this is done using compact desktop 3D printers like the ones we use."
Next step
"After my studies, I co-founded PrintPlace with three other partners, focusing on accessible customisation. We want to make our technology available to people who want to create custom products but lack the resources or expertise to do so. To further stabilise and scale our production, we saw the need for our own customisable product, which became Pic-To-Lamp. Of course, we aim to go beyond just lamps; this is a step in a longer process. At the moment, we are already developing new, innovative products for other sectors."