Robotic clay printing: TreeSoil creates microclimates for young trees

With TreeSoil, researchers from the Material Topology Research Lab (MTRL) at the Technion, together with the Tree Lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science, present a ground-based, robotically printed structure that protects young trees in degraded environments during the establishment phase. The system draws on historical agricultural techniques but reinterprets them through computational design and additive manufacturing: using local soil, modular elements are created that deliberately modulate wind, radiation, and moisture at the seedling.

At its core, TreeSoil is based on a parametric geometry whose shape variables are fed with site-specific climate and soil parameters. Opening angles, wall thicknesses, and surface textures are oriented to slow convective airflows, reduce evaporation, and harness diffuse solar radiation. The building blocks interlock and allow dry on-site assembly; robotic extrusion defines layer architecture and porosity to balance capillary transport and mechanical stability. The material is conditioned excavated soil, enriched with binder-based additives and nutrient-rich residuals. The mixture is fully biodegradable and is intended to reintegrate into the soil as the tree grows.

The researchers conceive TreeSoil as an interface between architecture, materials science, and plant physiology. The prototypes act as testbeds in which the design can be directly evaluated against site-specific stressors. The outcome is less a permanent object than a temporary, adaptable assemblage that accompanies the first years of vegetation.

For 3D printing, the approach opens a realm beyond conventional components: the creation of functional microclimates through geometric and material control. TreeSoil shows how robotic fabrication, local resources, and ecological performance targets can be brought together into robust, place-based solutions.

Learn more about WASP here.