Ok, ok, while a whole bunch of massive, 3D-printed sandcastles shooting up around the desert might sound like the makings of an April Fools' gag, these Sand Babel skyscrapers are, shockingly, a real project. Proposed by Chinese designers Qiu Song, Kang Pengfei, Bai Ying, Ren Nuoya, and Guo Shen, the future "research facilities and tourist attractions" are made primarily of sand shaped by solar-powered 3D printers, and are designed to be completely self-sufficient, off-the-grid developments—with solar power panels, water collection systems, and a form designed to maximize cross-ventilation. The 3D-printers are even based off of real machines already making similar structures on a much smaller scale. Sci-fi as it may sound, Sand Babel earned an honorable mention in the eVolo Magazine skyscraper design competition. Check out the detailed renderings below, then head over to Architizer for the full gallery.
· "Sand Babel" Desert Skyscrapers Uses Sand in Construction [My Modern Met]
· [Architizer]
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