3D printed vessel terraqua stores and cools water through clay pipes

bedouin culture draws from the desert-inspired low-temperature fire vessels for water storage or rather the manipulations they perform on the water. ofir zmudjak has designed ‘terraqua’, a device influenced by the radiator concept. a number of cells that contain water and allow the wind to move through them optimize the cooling process. the system does not need electricity. it works with capillaries, wind, and chemistry created by clay and silver. all you need to do is to fill the system with water and the system starts to work.

over the years, terracota has been used as a medium for cooling and drinking water. terracotta water storage vessels are very common in the middle east saturated with sun and desert climate. the water moves to the outer walls of the vessel, thus filtering and cooling by evaporation. additionally, the silver tube is killing the bacteria. 

the cooling and purification process requires a waiting period of three hours before starting to use the system. during this time, the water enters the ceramic tubes that begin to sweat — the wind vaporizes the water and creates cooling like the sweating process in the human body.

the creative approach zmudjak uses creates a connection between low-tech and high-tech, between traditional and innovative. digital craft is made by using digital means both in the design stage and in the production stage and is integrated into traditional production processes and traditional materials that provide a crafty look. for this piece, the designer has started the design in a 3D environment, then printed the model with a 3D FDM printer with PETG. for the main pipes, he modeled plaster molds to cast in ceramic. 

project info:

name: terraqua

designer: ofir zmudjak

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: maria erman | designboom