Sand Babel is a group of ecological structures designed as scientific research facilities and tourist attractions for the desert. Divided into two parts above and below ground, the main portion of each is constructed with sand, sintered through a solar-powered 3D printer. The resulting top structure mimics the form of the desert’s natural phenomena like tornadoes and mushroom rocks!
The structure is divided into two parts: the first section is above ground and consists of several independent structures for a desert community while the second is partially underground connecting several buildings and creating a multi-functional tube network. The design utilizes a spiral skeleton structure which is tall and straight with tensile strength to meet the requirements of residential use, tourism and scientific research. The dual tunnel model not only improves cross-ventilation, but also generates water condensation atop the structures based on temperature differences. The net structure for the underground and surface sections is similar to the roots of a tree. The design not only helps to keep flowing sand dunes in place but also facilitates communication among the buildings.
Designers: Qiu Song, Kang Pengfei, Bai Ying, Ren Nuoya, & Guo Shen
