Designer Martin Žampach 3D prints lamps for Prague bistro

With hundreds of five-star reviews on Google, vegan restaurant Loving Bistro is a popular spot in Prague’s Florenc neighbourhood to grab a vegan meal. Not only is the buffet-style food beloved by patrons, the bistro also offers a calm, minimalist ambience accented by greenery and other natural materials. The space, which was designed by local architecture firm esté architekti, integrates some particularly innovative elements, including 3D printed lampshades created by industrial designer Martin Žampach.

Žampach has been working in the design field for over 15 years and has long used 3D printing as a production tool to bring his creations to life. For example, the designer sells a number of 3D printed design objects, including vases, lamps and even tables. In this latest project, he worked with esté architekti to create a series of lampshades made from a wood and biopolymer composite material to fit into the minimalist space they designed.

The conical lampshades were created using Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF), an extrusion 3D printing technology that uses thermoplastic pellets as feedstock. Notably, the lampshade’s design embraces the layered texture characteristic of the extrusion the 3D printing. A number of lampshades were 3D printed for Loving Bistro in a variety of sizes, which according to Žampach made it possible to create dynamic and interesting compositions in the restaurant.

Overall, the wood composite lampshades complement the bistro’s minimalist but natural palette of white, wood and greenery. Their design also nods to Asian culture and the conical straw sun hats popular across the continent, which fits with the restaurant’s Asian-inspired menu.

3D printing was integral to the project not only because it enabled the creation of a custom design element, but because it did so in an economical way. As Žampach explains: “Production efficiency is key for me as a designer. Thanks to 3D printing, we can reduce the production process to a minimum and print only what is actually needed—the final product without any additional moulds and preparations for production. This approach not only minimizes costs but also waste, which is key for me as a designer who focuses on sustainability and closed product lifecycles.”

Žampach has also worked on other restaurant designs. For example, he collaborated with designer Peter Hák to create lanterns for a Cirque.Menu special event at the KOLEKTOR Cafe in Prague.