Both collections start as a digital file and come out of a printer, layer by layer. After that, almost everything changes: the material, the surface, the colour, the light inside and the way you look after the piece.
Two families of 3D printing
ISO/ASTM 52900, the international vocabulary for additive manufacturing, sorts 3D printing into seven process categories. Our two collections sit in two of them.
- Material extrusion, better known as FDM. Material is pushed through a nozzle and laid down line by line. The U· Collection is printed this way, tile by tile, in plant-based PLA, in our Valencia studio.
- Binder jetting. A liquid binder is jetted onto a bed of fine powder, only where the piece exists, one thin layer at a time. The Sand Editions are printed this way in quartz sand. Our sand production runs through Blacksand Lab.
How a U· piece is made
- Printed. Tile by tile, FDM printed in plant-based PLA. All nine U· pieces are built from the same curved-tile module.
- Sanded and filled. Every tile is sanded and filled before any colour goes on.
- Painted. Painted professionally in Valencia, in one of our 35 curated colours or any RAL code, with a thick high-gloss clear coat over the colour.
- Assembled and grouted. Back in the studio the tiles are joined into one piece and grouted with real grout, left visible on purpose.
- Lit. Integrated LED, dimmable, in 2000K or 2700K. The pendants hide a diffuser inside, so the light source is never seen.
How a Sand Edition is made
- Generated. Each form is modelled digitally, often from structures found in nature: a sunflower’s disc, the ridge of a dune, erosion.
- Printed. A binder-jet printer spreads fine quartz sand layer by layer and binds it only where the form needs it. That allows large, highly detailed shapes that would be impossible to make any other way.
- Assembled and wired by hand in the studio. The raw, mineral texture of the sand stays.
- Lit. Mostly standard LED bulbs you can change: G9 on the Aureole Sun VXS, E27 on the larger pieces. Barchan and Urban Stem have a built-in LED core.
Side by side
| U· Collection | Sand Editions | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | FDM (material extrusion) | Binder jetting |
| Material | Plant-based PLA | Quartz sand; Orbital and Urban Stem also in sand composites |
| Surface | Smooth high gloss, grout lines left visible | Raw and mineral, the texture of the printed sand |
| Colour | 35 curated colours or any RAL code, same price | The natural colour of the sand |
| Light | Integrated LED, 2000K or 2700K, dimmable | Mostly standard LED bulbs you can replace |
| Care | Soft, dry or slightly damp cloth | Soft, dry brush, no water |
| Keep away from | Heat: PLA softens at around 55-60 °C | Water and liquids: the surface is porous |
| Lead time | Made to order in 4-6 weeks | Sun VXS in stock; other pieces on request |
| Pieces | Wall, table, ambient and pendant lights, a side table | Wall, table and floor lamps |
Which one for your room
- You want a colour. Choose U·. Every piece is painted to order, so it can follow a wall, a fabric or a brand colour at the same price. See how to choose a custom colour.
- You want texture. Choose sand. The surface is the printed sand itself, with no paint on it.
- You want scale on a wall. The Aureole Sun V1, V2 and V3 wall lights run from about 66 to 97 cm across, printed in quartz sand and made on request.
- You want it soon. The Aureole Sun VXS wall lights (about 40 cm) are kept in stock and dispatched within 5 working days, with 1800K, 2200K or 2700K light.
- You are lighting a table or a kitchen island. The U· pendants: U·048, U·039 and the linear U·044. See what size pendant to choose.
- The piece sits in a sunny window. Choose sand, or keep a U· piece out of direct sun behind glass: PLA softens at around 55-60 °C.
Questions
Is a Sand Edition the same as a Blacksand piece?
Not quite. The Sand Editions are collections designed by Rollo Bryant for Rollo Studio: Aureole, Dune, Lavora, Noir, Orbital and Urban Stem. Our sand production runs through Blacksand Lab, which also prints pieces by other designers.
Can a Sand Edition be painted in a RAL colour?
No. The Sand Editions keep the finish of the printed sand. RAL colours are for the U· Collection.
Do you sell the print files?
No. Every piece is a finished, wired lamp, designed by Rollo Bryant and assembled in our Valencia studio.
Can I change the light source?
On U· pieces the LED is integrated. It is not replaceable by the user, but it is replaceable by a professional: if it fails, contact us and we replace it in our studio. Most Sand Editions take standard LED bulbs you can change yourself.
Can I see both materials before I buy?
Yes. Visit the showroom in Valencia by appointment, or ask for painted colour samples and a quartz sand sample pack.
Sources The seven ISO/ASTM 52900 process categories, Siemens Simcenter
