Japanese architecture firm Aki Hamada Architects has created an unusual architectural installation for Expo 2025 in Osaka: a completely 3D-printed resting facility made of earth. The large-format Crane WASP Stand Alone construction 3D printer, which was specially developed for processing natural materials such as soil and clay, was used. The installation comprises various areas of use – including toilets, lounges, satellite studios and temporary stages – and is part of a larger series of rest areas designed by young architecture firms from all over Japan.
At the heart of the concept is a return to earth as a building material. This was chosen not only because of its local availability, but also because of its ecological recyclability. Earth – unlike many industrial materials – can be returned to the environment after use.
“Through this project, we aim to present a glimpse of a future society in which humans, nature, and machines coexist—realized through architecture built with natural materials like earth and advanced robotics”, says Aki Hamada regarding the project.
A mixture of local soil, clay, straw, plant-based binders, pigments and a magnesium oxide-based hardener was used for the construction. After printing, the components were first tempered in high humidity and then air-dried. The organically shaped elements are based on natural rock formations, which were previously digitized using 3D scanning and prepared for the printing process. Façade elements, washbasins and multifunctional plant benches were printed partly on site and partly in a production facility in Toyama and then assembled.
The work of Aki Hamada Architects shows how additive manufacturing not only opens up new formal possibilities, but also enables a link back to local building materials and traditional building principles. The Expo serves here as a platform for architectural experiments that renegotiate the dialog between technology, nature and society.
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