Amazon HQ2 Integrated a 3D Printed Ceramic Wall

Amazon’s new HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia is filled with custom artwork, from sculpture gardens to wall art to murals. Notable among these works, however, is a 3D printed ceramic wall completed by Brian Peters. The wall, located in the primary building’s main lobby, is comprised of over 600 3D printed blocks.  

Additive manufacturing has increasingly been incorporated into interiors because it allows for incredible creative freedom in design. Artist Brian Peters began exploring 3D printing ceramics in 2012, during his artist residency in the Netherlands. His portfolio includes wall installations, public art, and screen walls, primarily constructed with 3D printed blocks. According to Peters’ website, he is drawn to “the art of integrating digital coding, custom-built technology, contemporary aesthetics and natural clay.” This outlook opens doors for additive manufacturing in interior design.

A closer look at the 3D printed ceramic blocks

For the Amazon HQ2, Peters worked closely with ZGF Architects to design and implement the 3D printed ceramic wall. The artist did not elaborate on what 3D printer he employed for the project, but the blocks seem to have been created through a type of ceramic extrusion and were fabricated in his Pittsburgh studio. The team used four block types of varying apertures, which were glazed in two shades of teal. 

Additionally, the reception desk in the same lobby is wrapped in 3D printed ceramic blocks. These blocks are terracotta, inset into a marble frame, and illuminated by white light from the frame’s interior, giving the desk a clean and inviting appearance. 

The front desk features a facade of 3D printed blocks

The Writing on the Wall

Peters and ZGF Architects imagined their wall and desk facade as a composite of “graphic pixels,” perhaps a nod to Amazon’s identity as an online entity. The wall is titled “Text[ure] Screen,” denoting its unique geometric texture while hinting at the text that runs across its surface. Among the dark teal blocks, light teal ones spell out the motto “think BIG.” 

On his website, Brian Peters writes that “‘Text[ure] Screen’ functions as a graphic feature wall, corporate branding, and a security wall at the primary office entrance.” The wall is unique because it creates privacy while maintaining visibility, as one can see through the blocks. “Text[ure] Screen,” asks those who pass by to “think BIG,” and the wall itself, an ambitious project as it is, is a testament to that maxim. To learn more about Brian Peters’ artwork, visit his website here.

Amazon HQ2’s 3D printed wall spells out “think BIG”

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*All Photo Credits: Brian Peters