Gallery: Architects Create a 3-D Printed Column That Survives Earthquakes
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The aptly named *Quake Column* is a knurled pillar of 3-D printed concrete that combines an ancient Incan masonry technique with state-of-the-art manufacturing tools to create a structure that can withstand seismic shocks without mortar or rebar.
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Each block features molded handles and a code that tells the mason how the structure is to be assembled.
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Other experiments include turning waste product like hardwood sawdust into a building material.
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The result is an object with a 21st century design, but a 17th century patina.
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Emerging Objects experimented with a 3-D printer that produces objects made of sand and created this noise canceling wall.
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The wall's mass absorbs and release heat and the folds increase the surface area to help reduce sound levels.
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Emerging Objects has been focusing primarily on material explorations and producing small objects like this vase.
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These proof of concept models have emboldened the architects to take their approach to architectural scale applications.
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The result of these experiments are a catalog of parts that could one day be used to fabricate an entire home, from load-bearing walls to light-weight room dividers.
