3D-printed cabin by emerging objects is made from living, plant-filled tiles

located in oakland, this 3D-printed cabin by emerging objects breaks new ground in sustainable, custom-made dwellings. founded by ronald rael and virginia san fratello, the california-based studio, specializing in 3D-printing research and design, brought together many of their previous material and software experimentations to explore the possibilities of a weatherproof, free-standing, compact structure.

all images by matthew millman photography

the exterior is clad in a total of 4,500 tiles of two types. on the roof and adjacent walls, the 3D-printed ceramic ‘seed stitch’ tiles serve as a rainscreen. using a g-code to control each line of clay as it was printed, the studio created a loopy texture where, due to the machine’s marginal errors and the material’s behavior, each tile is unique. on the front facade, the planter tiles offer pockets for succulents to grow, forming a living wall of vegetation that blends the cabin within its surroundings.

the chroma curl wall, a translucent bio-based plastic surface derived from corn, covers the interior walls. the cladding is embedded with color-changing lights that shower the interior with playful hues of illumination. for the construction, emerging objects used only sustainable materials, including sawdust, chardonnay grape skins and ceramic, derived either from natural or upcycled sources. the cabin is modular, allowing users to replace parts if needed.

project info:

project team: ronald rael, virginia san fratello, logman arja, hannah cao, sandy curth, barrak darweesh, yonghwan kim, daniel komen, cooper rodgers, alex schofield, phirak suon, kent wilson.

special thanks to ehren tool, danny defelici at 3Dpotter, leonard dodd at erectorbot, autodesk, and the bakar fellows program and departments of architecture and art practice at the university of california berkeley.

additional thanks to alisa nadolishny, natalie yu, anthony gianini, and sarah rippee.