On the 2024 Fall version of Maison&Objet in Paris, Hong Kong-based architectural agency LAAB unveiled an eco-pavilion constructed from 3D-printed bricks product of recycled water bottles. The Hong Kong Eco-Pavilion incorporates a putting sequence of turquoise-toned, staggered bricks that create an natural, perforated construction. This progressive pavilion highlights sustainability, materials circularity, and a harmonious mix of contemporary expertise with conventional craftsmanship.
Throughout the occasion, LAAB’s Design Director, Otto Ng, shared insights on the venture in a chat moderated by designboom. He defined the method behind remodeling discarded plastic bottles into eco-friendly 3D printing filaments and the way these filaments have been used to create the pavilion’s distinctive bricks. “On this design, we really used water bottles collected from ten totally different secondary faculties in Hong Kong,” Ng defined. This course of embodies the agency’s dedication to sustainability and its imaginative and prescient of rethinking waste as a invaluable useful resource.
A Fusion of Craftsmanship and Expertise
Ng additionally emphasised the significance of mixing conventional craftsmanship with fashionable digital fabrication strategies. “Craftsmanship is changing into extra essential. We’re curious about preserving the virtually misplaced craftsmanship from older generations, whereas additionally embracing new strategies and digital fabrication,” he mentioned through the discuss. This method highlights the steadiness between honoring Hong Kong’s cultural heritage and advancing sustainable design by way of technological innovation.
The eco-pavilion’s 3D-printed bricks, comprised of recycled PET bottles, have been designed to be light-weight, stackable, and moveable, minimizing the carbon footprint throughout transportation. LAAB developed a number of prototypes to make sure the bricks used as little filament as doable whereas sustaining structural integrity. The pavilion’s design, impressed by Victoria Harbour’s shoreline, is configured in a wavy, round association that displays Hong Kong’s pure heritage. This ring-shaped design additionally symbolizes the ideas of fabric circularity, unity, and concord, that are key components of Chinese language philosophy.
Pigmented in 15 shades of turquoise, the pavilion mirrors the dynamic colours of Victoria Harbour, shifting in look relying on the lighting circumstances. The staggered association of the eco-bricks permits pure mild to filter by way of, casting shadows paying homage to harbor waves. The pavilion’s a number of entry factors invite guests to discover from totally different angles, creating an immersive and interactive expertise.
A Pavilion with a Round Future
Some of the distinctive points of the Hong Kong Eco-Pavilion is its give attention to reusability. As soon as the Maison&Objet exhibition concludes, the construction will probably be disassembled, transported again to Hong Kong, and reassembled for an additional showcase. Past its exhibition life, the 3D-printed eco-bricks can both be repurposed for public buildings or reprocessed into filaments for future 3D printing tasks. This considerate method displays LAAB’s mission to redefine waste supplies and promote materials circularity in architectural design.
By incorporating recycled water bottles into the creation of 3D-printed bricks, LAAB’s pavilion is a mannequin of sustainable design. It demonstrates how innovation can remodel waste into invaluable sources, making a optimistic environmental affect whereas celebrating Hong Kong’s heritage.
Supply: designboom.com