Strange Bulbous 3D-Printed Structures Made of Salt
Thousands of pore-like 3D-printed structures made of a salt and concrete mix are built up into the walls of a highly unusual house devised by architecture firm Emerging Objects. ‘3D Printed House 1.0’ combines traditional construction methods with 3D printing, using renewable, locally procured materials.
Commissioned by the Jin Hai Lake Resort in Beijing, this ultramodern salt house is partially enclosed within a more conventional shell, the amorphous, organic salt-based shapes rising up from the roof like strange chimneys to bring in natural light.
Intricate 3D Printing with Salt
The semi-transparent 3D-printed components are made of a salt polymer called ‘saltygloo.’ Emerging Objects created a 1:1 model of ‘Salt Volume’ to put the characteristics of this material on display.
Each individual oculus is supported on the back end by a grid of geometric shapes, with an opening varying in size depending on how bright and private that particular area of the house is desired to be. It’s unclear whether these structures, remaining open on the exterior, would end up offering a tempting place for all sorts of creatures to take up residence.
“Translucency, porosity and openness are all tested in the different material conditions and inform the optics, lighting, views and thresholds between adjacent spaces. Prototypes of the 3D printed salt rooms were constructed at full scale to demonstrate the potential of 3D printed architecture.”
About Emerging Objects:
“At Emerging Objects, we think BIG when it comes to 3D printing. We are an independent, creatively driven, 3D Printing MAKE-tank aiming to 3D print architecture and spaces for living and working. Our innovation lies in our unique approach to materials and sizes and our belief that 3D printing is the medium where good ideas become real.We provide consultation to companies seeking innovative 3D printing solutions to help catapult innovation. Our expertise in material development helps our customers create compelling designs that are unable to be achieved any other way.”