Designer Taku Omura reimagines iconic logos as fun and functional 3D prints

There is no question that 3D printing has increased the possibilities of design in a big way, opening the doors for more innovative and original products. Here at 3dpbm, it’s not only the innovative design projects that catch our eye—as sometimes it’s the funnest, most tongue-in-cheek ones that showcase 3D printing’s potential.

Trial and Error, a project initiated by Japanese designer Taku Omura, falls into the latter category. In the project, Omura—the founder of Japan’s OOD design studio—uses 3D printing to transform iconic and recognizable logos into fun (but still useful) objects.

Among the series of printed 3D logos is a hair comb based on the Seino shipping company logo, Playstation bookends, an Adobe logo turned coat hanger and many, many more.

Some of the functions of the 3D prints are directly inspired by what the logos represent, adding another level of cleverness to Omura’s project. The logo for the Maruchan brand of instant noodles, for instance, has been turned into a 3D printed clip for holding the lid of the noodle package down. Bon Curry’s gradient logo, for its part, has been transformed into a set of serving bowls.

The sheer creativity of the project is impressive. I’ve seen the Bluetooth logo countless times and have never reimagined it as an adorable bow tie. Then again, I’m not a professional designer!

Aside from the Trial and Error 3D printing project, Omura runs his own design studio, OOD, which creates equally interesting and beautiful design objects. From a Pringle-inspired shoehorn, to a bottle cap that resembles overflowing foam, many of Omura’s unique pieces maintain a sense of fun—something that can sometimes be in short supply in the design field.