Dubbed the CRANE WASP, this 3D printer is also known as “the infinity 3D printer”. The impressive printer utilizes locally sourced clay, mud, or cement to 3D-print affordable homes. The printer even uses agricultural waste as aggregate to build homes. Currently, this system is being employed to construct some much-needed housing in Colombia.
Designer: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) recently purchased a Crane WASP to build affordable and effective homes in Colombia. The homes are built using local soil and resources. The printer is priced at around US$180,000, which is no small amount. Currently, more than a quarter of Columbian households are suffering from a lack of decent housing – an estimated 3.7 million. Two of three families who do have homes aren’t in great condition either, since the dwellings are subpar and need structural improvements. By utilizing locally sourced soil, the UN won’t need to bring in expensive materials from other lands. This tactic is bringing down costs significantly.
The Crane WASP ( World’s Advanced Saving Project) draws inspiration from the Mason Wasp – a little yet hard-working insect that uses mud to make its own nests. The UNDP intends to install the printers in challenging terrains, where it is difficult to set up expensive and conventional equipment. This equipment would have limited access as well. The Crane WASP is complemented by the local soil, and both work excellently to build homes for the impoverished or homeless.
Although bricks are commonly associated with exterior construction, they find versatile applications indoors and in landscape design. Their aesthetic appeal, versatility, and cost-effectiveness make them a standout choice for interior and exterior design. From structural elements to decorative features, bricks transcend their traditional role, offering aesthetic and functional benefits. Here are some modern applications of bricks in the realm of architectural, interiors, and landscape design.
Inspired by the intricate structure of beehives, Mutina, a pioneering ceramics company collaborating with top designers, introduced the Hives collection. Designed by Konstantin Grcic, these hexagonal terracotta bricks redefine traditional brick-building, offering infinite configurations for interior furnishings and architectural projects. Each brick, resembling two merged hexagons, facilitates dynamic versatility; vertically, they create semi-open structures with open cavities, while horizontally, they form undulating facades for columns and counters. Crafted in 13×22.5x7cm size, the Hives bricks combine functionality with durability, boasting impressive thermal and acoustic properties. Utilizing artisanal extrusion techniques, each brick is unique, maintaining an organic structure and a soothing orange glow, exemplifying Mutina’s commitment to innovative and sustainable ceramic design.
Crafted by OA-Lab, the ‘Alley House’ in Seoul, South Korea, innovatively incorporates greenery into its brick facade. Utilizing a stretcher bond pattern, the lower floor features uniquely designed bricks serving as planters. These protruding bricks create shelves for planting, enhancing the building’s exterior with a vertical garden. Their concrete composition ensures durability and containment for plants, while their density on the ground level facilitates easy watering. Ideal for smaller plants, they add a charming touch of green against the building’s white and red color scheme.
This innovative Wall House design by CTA Creative Architects in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, employs hole-punctured bricks to enhance indoor air quality and promote natural ventilation and illumination. Salvaged from nearby building sites, these bricks are strategically punctuated to allow fresh air and light into the living spaces. The irregular arrangement of burnt and blackened bricks adds texture and depth to the exterior, while tiered steps mimic the brick pattern, creating a visually striking entrance. Surrounding greenery improves air quality and contrasts beautifully with the brick tones. Large windows and a glass roof maximize natural light, enhancing the spaciousness of the interior. Simple materials like exposed-aggregate concrete and dark wood complement the design, while a stylish black-metal staircase adds functionality and aesthetic appeal.
At London’s historic Royal Albert Wharf, repurposed bricks have been used to design the unique round bench FLOAT. Blending seamlessly into its maritime surroundings, it resembles a decorative element while offering seating. Crafted from traditional handmade clay bricks stacked in a brick-like design, it evokes the dockside architecture. The curved shape mimics the wharf’s edge, inviting visitors to sit and enjoy the view. Despite its unconventional material and rounded form, FLOAT adds an intriguing touch to the wharf’s ambiance.
The Fjord House is a stunning architectural marvel by Studio Olafur Eliasson. Crafted with rustic bricks, this innovative design seamlessly merges tradition with modernity. Its curved walls evoke a sense of fluidity and dynamism, creating a captivating presence in any environment. The timeless charm and contemporary allure of the Fjord House, are a true testament to the fusion of art and architecture.
Toy Storey, a sustainable circular dwelling by Wallmakers India, headed by Vinu Daniel, creatively incorporates 6,200 discarded toys into its walls, transforming them into unique decorations. Beyond construction, architecture expresses cultural, social, and environmental concerns, as demonstrated in this groundbreaking project nestled in Kerala’s landscapes. It’s more than a home; it’s a tribute to nostalgia, childhood, and eco-awareness. Through repurposing toys as structural elements and decorative features, Toy Storey prompts reflection on consumption habits, while its design seamlessly blends with its surroundings. The interiors foster community living with individual privacy, featuring translucent screens, a central courtyard, and innovative ventilation. Toy Storey challenges norms, advocating sustainability and creativity by giving discarded items new meaning.
Spanish firm Agora Arquitectura transformed a neglected brick structure near Barcelona into the ‘House on a Brick Base’, initially home to a tool shed and a small red-brick building. The latter was refurbished and extended, integrating two perpendicular brick walls supporting the timber dwelling. External brick staircases and a perimeter wall were added. Sustainable materials like prefabricated cross-laminated timber and whitewashed cork were used. Co-founder Joan Casals Pañella described the project as an homage to traditional building methods. The studio fully renovated the brick building and expanded it across the terrain. Co-founder Joan Casals Pañella characterized the project as a tribute to traditional construction techniques, integrating two perpendicular brick walls into the structure to support the timber dwelling above. Additionally, a perimeter wall of perforated brick and exterior brick staircases were seamlessly incorporated to link various levels of the building within the sloping landscape.
Prestige University, designed by Sanjay Puri Architects in Indore, India, embodies a fusion of organic architecture and sustainable building practices. Featuring staggered green terraces ascending towards a 20-meter apex, the design optimizes natural resources and climate. Inspired by traditional Indian architecture, the structure leverages the local environment for energy efficiency. The terraces allow fractured sunlight and ventilation, while a 20-meter tall brick screen mitigates heat absorption, particularly on the east, west, and south sides. The ground level accommodates administrative offices, an auditorium, and a cafeteria, with first-floor library rooms connected by an internal bridge reminiscent of Colosseum tunnels. Multi-tiered brick terraces offer recreational spaces, with facilities including a library, cafeteria, and seminar halls nestled beneath.
In this minimalist interior design, a brick wall demarcates the open-plan kitchen from the rest of the space. The L-shaped kitchen island transforms into a breakfast counter with tall chairs. It becomes the focal point of the open-plan home while a drop ceiling further reinforces the position of the kitchen island.
By subtle variations in elevation or intricate arrangements, one can craft diverse 3D patterns. This approach adds visual interest and imbues the space with an organic texture and ambiance to the interiors and exteriors.
Seeking inspiration from Greenland’s indigenous culture, this translucent public installation is crafted from glass bricks. The Qaammat Fjeld Pavilion, designed by Konstantin Ikonomidis, nestles between two fjords in Sarfannguit, Greenland. Traditional building methods were used by Ikonomidis to anchor the structure to rocky terrain, forming two semi-circular structures atop horizontal bars. Collaborating with Wonderglass, glass bricks reflect the surrounding landscape, offering changing vistas as seasons evolve, while also casting crystalline shadows and light displays with the sun’s movement.
ByFusion’s initiative, reminiscent of Wall-E’s garbage cubes, introduces ByBlock, an eco-friendly construction material crafted from repurposed plastic and nonrecyclables. Through steam compression, these materials are transformed into versatile forms suitable for basic structures like fences or terraces. ByBlocks, produced with the patented Blockers technology, eliminates the need for cleaning or sorting, offering a sustainable solution to waste reduction. This innovation not only repurposes plastic waste but also holds potential for diverse construction applications, facilitating global environmental cleanup efforts.
Inspired by the designs of Jacques Monneraud, YouTuber Mia Mueller decided to put her skills to the test, making pottery that mimics the delicate, craft-like feel of corrugated cardboard. While Monneraud’s pieces look fantastic (and probably feel just as incredible to hold), Mueller’s approach actually guides us through the process, helping regular-folk understand the nuances of building clay pieces that look like cardboard. Mueller’s YouTube channel, Pottery To The People, is absolute gold for terracotta/ceramic enthusiasts, and although a lot of her content is centric to traditional use of the potter’s wheel, this particular project took a less conventional approach, but yielded results that look genuinely fantastic! Watch the video above to see how she did it, or just scroll to read more.
Mueller’s attempt at cardboard pottery is a part of her ‘steal like an artist’ video series, where she mimics the styles of pottery artists online. Monneraud’s designs have taken the internet by storm over the last few weeks and it only made sense for Mueller to give it a shot too, to see how easy it was, and whether the resulting pieces were, in fact, functional as pottery goods.
Choosing the right clay was perhaps the most crucial starting step. Different clays take on different hues after firing, so ensuring you’re left with the right cardboard-like color at the end of the firing process is key to nailing that illusion. Mueller used an Indian clay, known for its perfect cardboard-like brown hue.
Once selecting and softening the clay, she took to the potter’s wheel, throwing and shaping the clay in a fairly geometric style. Paper doesn’t bend in complex curves, so Mueller ensured most of her designs had straight lines and sharp edges. Ridges were then ‘stamped’ with the corrugated design, and details like grips, handles, and spouts were given a ridged design using a set of specialized roller-pins with ridges on them.
A few keys to nailing the aesthetic were ensuring the clay dries out significantly before stamping details onto them. Paper isn’t seamless either, so each paper part had to have a distinct start and end, which meant not blending in the edge lines. Even when joining multiple parts together, it’s instinctive to blend them in, making sure the joint is strong. However, cardboard doesn’t ‘blend’ either, so edges where different parts joined had to be left unblended, allowing the edge-line to show. Sure, this results in a fairly weak end-product, but then again, this entire endeavor is an aesthetic-driven one, not a functionality-driven one. The resulting pots are great for looking at, maybe even using as bouquet holders, but aren’t meant for holding water or any liquid. Since they’re unglazed, they’re still incredibly porous and will absorb water too, which means it’s best left displayed on a shelf as a statement piece rather than being put to use.
They say everything in nature has a purpose for existing, even if their existence is a nuisance to us humans. Scavengers, for example, are nature’s janitors and recyclers, putting dead things to good use. Even termites, whose presence is often a death sentence for homes and structures, are important to the ecosystem, and they can apparently serve as artful inspiration as well. Maybe not the termites themselves but the complex tunnels they create inside their mounds. These patterns are actually meant to facilitate airflow, which makes it the perfect reference for a man-made cooling solution that brings natural design and technology together to create a more sustainable solution to hot temperatures.
There has been some interest in alternative cooling solutions, especially those that don’t consume too much electricity or none at all. Traditional techniques, particularly evaporative cooling that makes use of clay pots or pipes, have gained a lot of traction, especially because they can become decorative pieces inside modern homes. That said, the old methods don’t exactly scale well to today’s climate, room sizes, and needs, so designers have to think a bit outside the box to come up with a better solution to fit modern needs.
TerraMound looks to termites for one part of the solution, particularly how their shapes exemplify high surface-area-to-volume ratios, meaning how much surface area there is in a compact space. Surface area is one of two critical elements in an evaporative cooler, and that is made possible by utilizing complex geometric patterns that look like artistic versions of termite mounds. Such a design would be impossible to do en masse by hand, which is where 3D printing comes in and where the project’s uniqueness really shines.
The other critical element to this type of cooling solution is porosity, which is why clay is the preferred material for this kind of cooler. Clay is also not a typical 3D printing material, which is what makes this ceramic cooler design even more special. This method can eventually be extended to large-scale 3D printing technologies, allowing the quick and easy production of facade panels, walls, and other structures that not only look beautiful but can also help improve airflow in buildings.
As a cooler, TerraMound isn’t completely passive, as it has a fan at the bottom to draw air upwards. A planter sits on top as a source of water that trickles down the desktop cooling tower, utilizing the absorbent properties of the terracotta clay to help the evaporation process. It also acts as a distinctive and beautiful piece of table decoration, one that you wouldn’t have guessed was inspired by something we humans consider to be pests.
There are people that love to pit technology against art or craftsmanship but those of us who know better know that the two can actually complement each other. There are products and designers out there who seek to fuse the two together and even bring innovation and improvements to the two worlds. One such product is a speaker that uses natural materials and is created by traditional craftspeople.
Designer: Mapu
The Mapu Speakers is a line of speakers that are made from natural materials like clay, wood, cork, and wool and handcrafted by traditional craftsmen in Chile and Portugal The goal is to create a new generation of craftspeople, “building a bridge between ancestral knowledge and technology”. Aside from having quality speakers so you can listen to your music, audiobooks, and podcasts, you also get a piece of art that you can display in your space.
The wooden cones and caps that are in the center of the driveractually optimize the high frequencies so you get a “vivid, spatial, and engaging sound”. The wool is used for the internal acoustic insulation while the leather and cork are also ideal for insulation due to their high tensile strength and heat resistance. The spherical shape of the vessel also adds to the sound quality that you get so you know that it’s not just beautiful but you get a pretty good speaker.
The Mapu Speakers are also 80% biodegradable so that’s another bonus for those who are looking for something pretty different for their speakers. The Mapuguaquén is already sold out on their website but the Mapu Preto and the Mapu Soenga, available in mono and stereo versions. The vessel-like shapes of the speaker line make it pretty attractive even if you don’t know yet the handicraft story behind it.
The quality of air that we have around us doesn’t simply depend on the lack of pollutants or harmful substances. The amount of humidity can also be a determining factor in the comfort and health of the people living inside the space. Fortunately, we can also control this aspect of our environment, at least when we need to increase the humidity in a room. There are plenty of humidifiers in the market today, but almost all of them have one thing in common. They rely on electricity to work, which isn’t a sustainable way of living. Fortunately, there are a growing number of such tools that are adopting more natural methods, and this mini humidifier, in particular, accomplishes that while also acting as an eye-catching piece of decoration for your home.
Low humidity has been a problem since the beginning of human civilization, and our ancient ancestors had ways of dealing with that, even when there was no electricity or machines to do it for them. The most common method that is becoming popular again is saturating clay structures with water in order to give the evaporation process a helpful nudge. Of course, not everyone might want to put large clay pots or barrels in the middle of their house, but sometimes just a little can already get the job done.
KUMO is a beautiful humidifier that works using that same principle but in an almost bite-sized chunk that actually serves three purposes in a single design. It is composed of two parts, both made from natural, sustainable materials. One is a miniature stone bath with a narrow basin where you put the stoneware disc in. That unglazed stoneware disc is the “clay” part of the humidifier, and it’s shaped like a wavy cucumber slice that makes the whole composition look like you’re dipping a healthy cucumber snack.
All you really need to do is to add some water to the bath and then put the disc in, which will stand still thanks to its close fit. It will absorb the water, which then evaporates more easily into the surrounding air to increase the humidity. Refill the water once it’s all used up, and that’s pretty much all there is to it. You can also opt to add a few drops of essential oil to increase the fragrance in the room, making the humidifier also act as a natural diffuser.
And, of course, it also looks great while doing its job. The pleasant combination of shapes and the contrast of colors make it an interesting visual piece, whether it’s on your desk or on a shelf. It’s definitely something you’d want to show off, unlike run-of-the-mill electric humidifiers that are just plastic containers puffing out vapor. Sustainable, multifunctional, and beautiful, KUMO puts a unique twist on the concept of a humidifier, showing that the ancients might have had the right idea all along.
The latest trend in architecture and product development is 3D printing. On its own, you still probably cannot create something like an entire house but if you combine it with other techniques, like the age-old material of clay, then you can come up with something that’s both sustainable and beautiful. Some postgraduates from Spain have combined these two practices and come up with their country’s first prototype that uses 3D printing and is made from clay.
Designer: Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
Clay is actually one of the oldest building materials that archaeologists have uncovered. Whether it uses the sun as its hardener or it’s fired in kilns, it’s one of the most sustainable and sturdiest materials available. So these students were able to combine it with the more modern technique of 3D printing materials to come up with TOVA, the first prototype of a habitat in Spain that uses these two techniques. We get a habitat with a simple yet elegant design and a sustainable one at that.
It also has a functional design with a sloping roof meant to let rainwater slide off of it while the gravel drainage is able to be the basin for the excess water. If the weather is too hot or too cold, the framed, insulated ceiling is able to give you better temperature control either way. The window allows natural light to brighten the space while the walls have ventilation holes for fresh air. It’s not a mansion of course but there’s room for a foldaway bed inside the house.
Using polymers as its substructure, wood for its roof, and T and L joints for its walls, you get a house with a wavy exterior so that it is able to match the natural water currents and other natural shapes that you associate with its surroundings. We of course love habitats that fit in with its environment, not just in terms of materials but even more so with the structure and overall design. It’s surrounded by tall trees and other natural things so you have somewhere you can breathe inside and out. The TOVA prototype looks like it came out of ancient times but is built using more modern techniques.
Whether you believe in global warming or not, it’s hard to deny that the past days have been setting records when it comes to abnormally hot temperatures. Some countries that normally don’t experience such hot and humid weather were caught unprepared, while others cranked up the air conditioning, which meant higher expenses and more carbon emissions. Though we now experience greater amounts of heat, the problem isn’t unique to our history. There was a time when humans didn’t even have electric fans to help them keep cool, and they used more natural and environment-friendly methods instead. There is some wisdom to those ancient ways, and one particular idea uses these methods to help cool the surrounding air while also looking like sculptural art at the same time.
Evaporative cooling has been around since the time of ancient Egyptians and Romans, who used water and clay to cool the air inside their houses. When water evaporates, it carries with it some of the surrounding heat, effectively reducing the temperature in the area. Egyptians fanned porous jars of water while Romans coursed water through walls. We can easily create similar cooling solutions these days, too, especially with a little help from modern technology.
There are two major components to this kind of cooling system. First is clay, which has hygroscopic properties that let it attract water more easily. Water is the other element, and it flows around clay cylinders in order to create an evaporating cooling cycle. That water doesn’t go to waste and is recycled and pumped to the top of the structure again. Given the qualities of terracotta material, this system is almost 100% sustainable, except for the electronics and fuel used to recycle and pump the water.
ant.studio also puts an artful twist to these evaporative coolers. Beehive binds the terracotta cones and cylinders into a circular form, creating the semblance of a section of a beehive. CoolAnt Coral, on the other hand, piles these pieces into a pillar akin to underwater corals or tall beehives. Though it could give some people shivers, the functional art installations have a distinct character to them, especially after you find out what they can do.
Sparkle 100%
Admittedly, evaporative cooling won’t work everywhere, and it comes with its own drawbacks. Evaporating water, for example, increases the humidity in the same area, which may not be ideal for some situations and for some people. There’s also a fair amount of electricity involved, so it’s not a complete win-win situation.
That said, both Beehive and CoolAnt Coral help provoke the mind to look for more sustainable solutions and fast. This heatwave might not be a simple fluke and could just be the start of something worse, and typical cooling solutions only contribute to the long-term problem while providing short-term comfort. These designs also prove that our ancestors might have been on to something with their clay pots and in-house aqueducts, and it’s up to us with our modern technologies to design something better.
Because a pleasant night’s sleep void of nightmares is overrated, model builder and YouTuber North of the Border went and crafted this ‘realistic’ LEGO minifig, complete with a terrifying face and unholy finger and toenails. I think it goes without saying, but my wife is going to be annoyed that I insist on sleeping with the lights on tonight.
Those eyes. That mouth. Those nails! Nothing about this is okay, and I really wish North of the Border would have reconsidered the project before going through with it, and that the website I saw it at reconsidered before posting it. Yet here we are. I don’t like it here.
Well, at least it doesn’t move. At least there’s that. And don’t let that give you any new project ideas! Good lord – could you imagine this little creeper crawling out of your toy chest and sprinting across the room to the foot of your bed right when you’re about to turn the lights off for the night? Sweet dreams!
Let’s face it, with Disney owning both properties now, Star Wars and Marvel are practically begging for a crossover. And to give us an idea of what that probably wouldn’t look like, artist Adam of the YouTube channel North of the Border sculpted this 1:12 scale BB-8/Hulkbuster armor mashup. Sith and Hulk alike, beware!
I particularly like the BB-8 inspired paint job. The amount of fine detail Adam was able to achieve is most impressive, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he could thread a needle on his first try. For reference, I struggle to thread a needle for my grandma at all until she eventually tells me not to bother – she’ll just get one of her favorite grandchildren to do it for her.
Now that I’ve planted the seed of a Star Wars/Marvel crossover in my own mind, it won’t stop growing. Will I start writing my own fan fiction?! No, but only because I’m too lazy. I will, however, start creating my own fan fiction in my mind, which takes significantly less effort than writing and can be done in the bathtub.
