These hive-like structures were created by UK-based design firm PostlerFerguson, and are based on the mashrabiya, carved latticework wood panels used on windows in traditional Islamic architecture to allow for a controlled circulation of air and light, keeping buildings cool in a desert climate. The project, called Microclimates, uses custom software to interpret that technique into a three-dimensional structure made from printed sand.The structures are presented as more than just a beautifully designed object, though they certainly are that as well, and could be used on city streets and in public places to cool down the environment. This cooling effect is achieved by nature of the complex internal surface area of the structures—water is evaporated from the hot air that passes through it, cooling the air as it leaves the structure. Effectively, they’re giant hive-shaped air-conditioning units, but ones that do not require fossil fuels and can be printed at will using the large-scale 3D printing technology developed by D-Shape. That means Microclimates can be replicated anywhere, and one might argue that the developers have not just created a software language, but a building language too.With 3D printing technology continuing to come down in price—New York-based firm MakerBot sell a reasonably priced printer kit that can print from your desktop—the democratisation of manufacturing can’t be far away.[via Bldgblog]
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