4,500 3D-printed ceramic tiles cover the facade of the ‘Cabin of Curiosities’ in Oakland, an experimental structure showing off how beautiful additive manufacturing can be. The facade consists of two different types of tiles by independent 3D printing studio Emerging Objects: the ‘Planter Tile’ and the ‘Seed Stitch Tile.’ Consisting of sawdust, Portland cement, corn-based bio-plastics and chardonnay grape skins, the tiles create a tactile living surface full of succulents ideal for the Northern California climate.

The ‘Seed Stitch’ tiles mimic the knitting technique for which they’re named, intentionally printed at high speeds to encourage the sort of non-uniformity you’d find in handmade objects – an interesting twist, considering the fact that precision is typically one of the most prized aspects of 3D printing technology. No two ‘Seed Stitch’ tiles are exactly the same.

Inside, the firm has lined the walls and ceiling with translucent ‘Chroma Curl Wall’ tiles with custom relief textures. Additional 3D-printed objects created by Emerging Objects, like lamps and furniture, are scattered throughout the room. ‘Cabin of Curiosities’ is presented as a potential component of a solution to the Bay Area’s severe housing shortage.

Emerging Objects, which was founded by Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, professors at the University of California Berkeley and San Jose University, hopes to showcase the versatility of 3D-printed objects.

“These are not just investigations into testing materials for longevity or for structure, but also a study of aesthetics. We see the future as being elegant, optimistic, and beautiful.”

In sunny weather, the calm pools of water in Nongriat are the perfect place to bathe or relax, their waters typically shallow enough to stand in. But this peacefulness is rare, and when the rain comes – as it so often does – the locals need bridges that are stronger than steel in order to cross. Their solution? Growing their own. A native species of rubber tree is the ideal medium for living bridges that can withstand rivers that run with deadly force.

(images via: arshiya bose)

This area of Meghalaya, India gets an astonishing 49 feet of rain on average each year. Flash floods come quickly and without warning. So, long before modern engineers began designing the kinds of bridges that could hold up to such conditions, the locals here found a way around the problem.

(image via: rajkumar1220)

For 500 years, they have been manipulating the secondary roots of the ficus elastica, which grow along the length of the trunk. The roots can be bent, twisted and taught to grow in certain arrangements.

(images via: rajkumar1220)

Using hollowed-out betel nut trunks as a lightweight skeleton for the bridge, the villagers encourage the roots to grow from one side of the bank to the other, creating a platform. Because the roots are living, they won’t rot, even in the face of constant moisture.

(image via: rajkumar1220)

(image via: vinayakh)

The bridges can support the weight of up to 50 people at once, and are even built in ‘double-decker’ form. It can take decades for them to stretch across a river or farm, but they continue to grow in strength.