Apr 24, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: What Would Don Draper Make With a 3-D Printer?

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
01
ice-07
In partnership with their marketing firm, [TBWA Hakuhodo](http://www.tbwahakuhodo.co.jp/), Suntory has commissioned a series of [one-of-a-kind ice sculptures](http://3drocks.jp/en/) that take the form of space shuttles, guitars, classical Japanese architecture, and Michelangelo's *David*.
Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
02
ice-03
“There are 3-D things, 3-D printers, and 3-D projection everywhere but none of it seems really useful," says TBWA Executive Creative Director Kazoo Sato. “We wanted to innovate something that is meaningful, impactful, and beautiful."

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
03
nike
Each sculpture started as a block of ice nearly six inches wide and was painstakingly carved over a period of hours using a CNC router inside a 19 °F freezer/studio.
Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
04
ice-06
A thick bit roughed out the form, a thin tip went for a second pass to bring out the details, and the cube was flipped so the process could be repeated.

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
05
ice-02
The subjects of the sculptures were suggested by fans of Suntory Whisky who sent the company descriptions of pivotal moments in their lives where liquor played a prominent role.
Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
06
ice-05
Fans who had their ideas turned into ice cubes were invited to a special gathering where they could see their ideas in icy form. Despite the extraordinary efforts, each artwork lasted for mere minutes when placed in the glass.

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
07
ice-08
Each cube took between one and six hours of milling and some of the more complex designs, like the legs of the horse, required several blocks of ice to be milled and combined.
Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
08
ice-01
"I think carving the ice with CNC router is something people never seen and it's just a jaw dropping experience for many people," says Sato.

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
09
ring
"We tried to pick simple to complexed shaped ideas, ones that had dreams and hope, ones with stories that emotionally moved us," says Sato.
Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
10
kinkakuji
An imbiber shared a poetic vision of Kinkaku-ji, the golden Buddhist temple, and how a miniature version would transform brown liquor into a golden beverage as it melted.

Photos by TBWA Hakuhodo
11
astronaut
Sadness over unrealized childhood dreams of space travel were softened by three fingers and an icy astronaut.

The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For

AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.

Miles Klee

A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why

Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.

Stephanie Pearson

It’s a Tablet! It’s a Laptop! After Testing the Best 2-in-1s, Here’s What I Recommend

Whether you want a detachable tablet or a laptop screen that spins, these 2-in-1 devices manage to balance being both a tablet and a laptop.

Luke Larsen

There’s a Secret Ingredient to Making Luxury Ice at Home

Nice ice is big business, but you can get perfectly clear cubes at home without freezing your assets.

Jeremy White

The Screenmaxxers Who Spend Every Waking Hour on Their Phones

As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.

Miles Klee

Mammotion’s Spino E1 Pool Cleaner Isn’t Bad for the Price—It's Just Not That Good

This compact pool robot keeps its price down, but its performance doesn’t match that of more capable cleaners.

Christopher Null

The Best Coffee Mug Warmers Are Smart. But They Don’t Need an App

The first rule of coffee is that it must stay hot. After weeks or even years of testing, these are the three coffee warmers that will best keep it that way.

Matthew Korfhage