The desert is often associated with being a barren and desolate place. Chinese designers Qiu Song, Kang Pengfei, Bai Ying, Ren Nuoya, and Guo Shen want to breathe life among the sand dunes with their series of intelligent skyscrapers entitled Sand Babel. They utilize the characteristics inherent in the landscape to imagine these futuristic towers, which are meant as research facilities and tourist attractions. The architect's idea was an entry in the eVolo Magazine 2014 Skyscraper competition where it earned an honorable mention.
Sand Babel's towers are intended to be constructed using the latest technologies. With the sun's help and using an abundant supply of sand, the granular substance is sintered through a solar-powered 3D printer and manufactured into building material. Each structure is imagined as an independent entity with all of them interconnected by a below-ground multi-functional tube network.
The shape of each skyscraper is based on common phenomenons of the desert. Its top is modeled after tornadoes and mushroom rocks, and the base is reminiscent of an exposed-root tree trunk. The exterior's thin, spiral frame allows wind to easily move throughout it and keeps the dunes in place. Sand Babel's innovative ideas are forward-thinking ways to develop largely uninhabited areas.
