Geometric coffee tables use 3D printing robots and recycled plastic to create organic forms

3D printing has come a long way, but unless you’re using industrial printers in large factories, you’re probably limited to creating small designs or just parts of a whole. That, unfortunately, means that creators and makers aren’t able to fully express their ideas and designs, at least not those that involve pieces that can’t fit inside a commercial 3D printer. That said, you don’t have to give up your creative freedom to use an expensive production line if you can put 3D printing robots to smart use, like this sustainable plastic coffee table that is able to form organic geometric forms just by making the robot arm loop round and round.

Designer: Martin Zampach

When people think of 3D printers, they most likely think of those boxy contraptions sitting on tables, with nozzles that quickly run back and forth while oozing out hot plastic material in order to build up a three-dimensional object almost like from thin air. While this is the most common and most convenient kind of 3D printing, it has severe limitations in the size or shape of the object being made, basically anything that can fit the area and height of the printer.

LOOPS is a collection of coffee tables conceived to push the envelope of 3D printing and create objects that are larger than normal without requiring additional hardware. An industrial 3D printing robot pretty much goes round and round to create the base shape, building layer after layer of composite material until the desired form is achieved. This is the process used for creating the base of these tables, allowing the designer to apply different geometric shapes with organic forms that look like they’re literally growing before your very eyes.

The coffee tables are more than just experiments in 3D printing, they are also testaments to beautiful sustainable design. Tabletops are made from 100% recycled plastic that is crushed, melted, and then moulded from used plastic. The 3D printed bases, on the other hand, are made from composite material containing cellulose from responsible forestry. When the tables reach the end of their use, both the base and the top can be recycled or reused to extend their life in a different way.

The LOOPS coffee table collection offers a unique and novel design that pushes the boundaries of 3D printing to produce beautiful shapes and textures that almost resemble traditional ceramic creations. The variety of recycled plastics used gives each tabletop a unique appearance, both in color as well as in texture. The minimalist yet elegant designs make the coffee tables the perfect artistic centerpieces for any space, offering a thought-provoking design that opens your mind to the possibilities of sustainable 3D printing.

This Nordic Hotel’s Architecture Blends Beautifully into the Organic Snow-Capped Mountain Slopes

Combining luxurious architecture and natural camouflage together, Mertcan Güldilek’s Nordic Breeze hotel is easy to miss when viewed from above. As you descend into the valley, however, the gorgeous hotel becomes more apparent with its unique blend of the snow-white facade and wrap-around glass. Created using AI, Güldilek’s architectural concept shows how organic design can blend beautifully into a landscape, complementing it rather than contrasting it.

Designer: Mertcan Güldilek

The AI experimentations take on a rather organic design reminiscent of Ross Lovegrove’s work. The hotel’s facade is difficult to really describe as it flows quite like the mountain slope. In the negative areas created by the facade, Güldilek adds running edge-to-edge windows that help residents/patrons get a sprawling panoramic view of the landscape ahead of them.

“The hotel emerges in the heart of the Swedish valley, inviting guests to a refuge that seamlessly blends with its breathtaking surroundings,” says Güldilek. “The organic approach to design ensures that the hotel becomes an extension of the surrounding nature, creating a sense of unity that calms and inspires.”

Envisioned for Storglaciären, Sweden, these hotels are located in the valleys of a snowcapped mountain range, alongside a glacial river that adds to the hotel’s charm. Multiple iterations of the hotel’s design see it nestled on top of the glacial river, giving patrons a stunning shimmering view of the snowcapped landscape along with its reflection. Sunrises and sunsets would look amazing here for 6 months in the year!

“As the sun descends, casting its golden rays across the land, the hotel radiates a warm and inviting aura that draws guests in,” adds Güldilek. “The golden hour lighting envelops the building, illuminating every detail and infusing the surroundings with a magical quality.”

Different iterations also play with volumes, adding multiple wings and levels to the architecture for a dynamic appeal. Each hotel room therefore has a unique view of what’s around them, creating a bespoke experience for everyone who comes to visit the conceptual Nordic Breeze hotel!

Eco-hub lets you regrow plants from organic waste

Aside from the fact that I more often than not unintentionally kill the plants that are entrusted to me, another reason that I can’t really raise plants is that I don’t have space in my apartment. A lot of people who live in cities like me are unable to find spots in order to have some semblance of greenery in their every day lives. But what if you could have a tool to plant and raise organic materials and also help save on organic waste at the same time?

Designer: Batuhan Duran

This is the basic idea behind the Bosch eco-hub, a concept that is rethinking how we can grow plants in the middle of the concrete jungle. It was really born out of how to more efficiently reuse organic waste instead of just the usual disposal methods which may be counterintuitive to sustainable living. It is a box that is able to regrow some of these organic root waste and turn them into seeds, seedlings, and actual food. And since it is portable and small, it allows those who have little space to do their own home and balcony gardening.

This electricity-free biodynamic farming unit seems to be shaped lke a lunchbox, which is perfect since you can actually get your food here. The eco-hub is made from things like bioplastic, egg, wood, and biopolymer. You will be able to regenerate vegetables like lettuce, arugula, cress, and aromatic plants like mint, rosemary, basil. It has its own filtration system that eliminates things like pH sensors and constant water replacement since it is able to facilitate the water purification by transferring oxygen through their roots into the water.

I probably still can’t grow plants in my apartment for various reasons but those who have limited space and only have indoor space can probably benefit from an eco-hub like this. They say there’s also a great feeling that comes from being able to grow what you eat so this can bring satisfaction on different levels for those who would like to say they harvested from their living room.