Two innovative Lanarkshire designers are kings of the castle after producing two landmark chess sets depicting Scotland’s biggest cities.
Alex Duff and Michael O’Donnell launched their 3D Scotland company last year with a Clydeside chess set comprising intricate models of Glasgow University and the city’s Tolbooth Steeple, Riverside museum, Finnieston crane, SEC Armadillo and Duke of Wellington statue – complete with traffic-cone hat – as its playing pieces.
They have now created a version for the capital city featuring Edinburgh Castle, Balmoral clock tower, the Scott and Dugald Stewart monuments, Greyfriars Bobby and Murrayfield; and they will be put to use in a special challenge match between students from Glasgow and Edinburgh universities on Monday.
Michael and Alex, from Cumbernauld, have been best friends since the first day of their mechanical engineering with product design course at Glasgow University and Glasgow School of Art.
They graduated with masters degrees two years ago and launched their business with the Clydeside chess set in July 2021; while they also create 3D topology maps of Ben Nevis plus Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
Alex, 25, said: “The intricate detail of our chess pieces is our unique selling point – the machines we use to produce the models are accurate to 0.05mm, which is how we can produce such detailed models.
“For the Edinburgh set, we’ve really pushed ourselves and the technology to the limit. It takes around 36 hours in total to make one set, including printing time, hand finishing and assembly.
“We visit the location, take as many pictures as possible, then build the model from the ground up using 3D CAD software.”
Michael, 24, described their products as “a dream come true”, saying: “We’re passionate about Scotland and chess, and we wanted to make a set that would be challenging and fun to play, but also act as a beautiful centrepiece in people’s homes.”
Both the Glasgow and Edinburgh chess pieces will be put to good use on Monday when players from both cities compete in a special one-off “Duke’s Gambit” contest at Glasgow venue The Duke’s Umbrella, which holds monthly chess events.
Each piece is made from an “eco-friendly and plant-based” material, with the makers also noting they use “soybean oil as opposed to being petroleum-based”.
The Lanarkshire designers have a website at www.3dscotland.net, with the £225 chess sets also being available at Glasgow University gift shop and the Scottish Design Exchange branches in Buchanan Galleries and in Edinburgh; with Michael and Alex hoping their new Edinburgh version “will be a hit with tourists visiting the capital city and for Scots abroad”.
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