This 3D-Printed Cabin Takes Sustainability to the Next Level
- Written by
- On Sunday, December 27, 2020
The common refrain, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has never been truer than it is with this innovative cabin. Nestled within a forest in Ithaca, New York, sits a design-forward cabin composed of 3D-printed concrete and upcycled waste wood.
The Ashen Cabin was developed as an architectural prototype by HANNAH, an experimental research and design studio in Ithaca. According to HANNAH, “By implementing high-precision 3D scanning and robotic-based fabrication technology, HANNAH transforms Emerald-Ash-Borer-infested ‘waste wood’ into an abundantly available, affordable, and sustainable building material.”
In other words, HANNAH took infested ash trees that would otherwise decompose or be burned for energy—both processes requiring the release harmful CO2 into the atmosphere—and transforms them into sustainable building materials.
“In our projects,” the company told Designboom, “we aim to mine the tension between machine means and architectural ends. We reclaim authorship over processes of construction that influence the way we can build.”
Nine interlocking 3D-printed concrete pieces make up the cabin’s floor, base, chimney, and fixtures. To build the facade, the HANNAH team bought a six-axis robot off of eBay, which they used to slice the waste wood into properly-fitting pieces. They also used these pieces to line the interior. The result is a visually striking cabin that nods to sustainability with its look and construction, helping to pave the way for what the future of eco-friendly design can look like.
Image credit: hannah-office.org
