Rad tiny cabin is covered in 4,500 3D-printed tiles

3D-printed homes sound very cool, but can end up looking very crude and heavy-handed. The latest project from Oakland-based startup Emerging Objects, however, shows off the potential for 3D-printing technology to create beautiful, livable architecture through innovative building materials.

While the Cabin of Curiosities doesn’t boast a 3D-printed structural frame, it does feature more than 4,500 3D-printed ceramic tiles that add aesthetic interest and greenery to the exterior.

Emerging Objects

The tiles on the front facade are made from portland cement and rendered in a range of hues to give the surface a mottled look. Four of the set’s six tile designs feature actual planters holding climate-happy succulents. A six-petal flower motif graces each hexagonal tile.

Emerging Objects

Overlapping scale-like tiles cover the roof and sides of the cabin. The textured surface of the shingles was inspired by an industrial knitting technique and thus named the “Seed Stitch.” Printed at exceptionally high speeds, the tiles are intentionally made with small errors and anomalies, giving them a handmade look.

Emerging Objects

Inside, the ceiling and walls of the cabin are lined with translucent Chroma Curl Wall tiles made out of white bioplastic. The tiles are embedded with color-changing LEDs, capable of giving the space a dynamic, color-saturated look.

Emerging Objects

Via: Archinect