With Tidal Stool, 3D Printed Stools Are Bringing Together Humans and Marine Species

In Hong Kong, a team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong’s faculty of architecture in the Fabrication and Material Technologies Lab has designed with 3D printed stools that could be used by both humans and animals. No, you’re not dreaming: these small concrete installations would act as a refuge for animal species when the tide rises and they need shelter or protection from predators. And for the rest of us, the stools simply offer us, at low tide, a moment to rest without getting sand everywhere. Called “Tidal Stool”, the project aims to show how we can make products that meet our needs and also contribute to local ecosystems.

These stools are located next to the town of Sha Tau Kok, on an area that has lived with the rhythm of the tides for hundreds of years. The animals and the plants which live there must thus adapt to the fluctuations of the sea, but also to the consequences man-made destruction. Notably, a lot of land has been reclaimed to the detriment of the maritime space in the area, destroying the habitats of the animal ecosystem that remained there. The Tidal Stools aim to reconcile the two.

The stools change their purpose depending on the tides (photo credits: Christian J. Lange/Weijen Wang)

The team behind this project explains that they were influenced by three factors in designing these so-called Tidal Stools. First, they went back to the classic ceramic stools that have been a part of Chinese history for thousands of years – they are mainly found in landscape gardens. The second source of inspiration was the mangrove roots, native to the area and which are known for supporting sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems in and of themselves. Finally, the team was strongly inspired by the colors of the rocks of this coastline, this dark brownish aspect that blends perfectly with the rest of the landscape. In addition to all this, the use of 3D printing, without which the production of this original design would not have been possible.