A pavilion made of 3D printed bricks made of recycled PET bottles

For the 2024 fall edition of Maison&Objet (4-8 September 2024), Hong Kong-based architectural studio LAAB designed a pavilion consisting of 3D printed bricks, which are made or recycled water bottles.

Called the Hong Kong Eco-Pavilion, the structure is part of the Hong Kong Design on Stage at Maison&Objet. It consists of staggered 3D printed bricks, which are made from recycled PET bottles, and aluminium.

The PET bottles were collected from Hong Kong schools, cleaned, processed and extruded into 3D printing filaments. The lightweight bricks are stackable and portable, keeping the carbon footprint from shipping to a minimum. The bricks are also designed to use as little material as possible while still remaining sturdy.

The bricks, coloured in 15 shades of turquoise, were assembled on-site in a wavy, circular form inspired by the coastline of Victoria Harbour, one of Hong Kong’s most iconic natural heritages. The ring form also signifies material circularity, unity, and harmony, which are important elements in Chinese philosophy and culture.

After its exhibition during Maison&Objet, the pavilion was disassembled, shipped to Hong Kong and assembled again for a second exhibition in the city. After that, it could be constructed and deconstructed again for public usage, or the bricks could be recycled into new filament.

Photos: Otto Ng / Erika Fung