As I wander around the streets of New York I can’t help but to stop and enjoy the intricacies of the pre war buildings. They’re just beautiful. Craftsman labored to create stunning architectural details. They were artists.

Modern buildings have their own sense of style and beauty, but the details have been lost. It’s too expensive to hire artists to carve stone and shape steel. And even if money wasn’t an issue the craft has faded, there aren’t many artisans left with the skills needed.

But the details are going to come back. The Self-Assembly Lab is one of many places where the idea of the self building building is coming to life. Technologies like 3D printing can now print glass, stone, and metal. Soon they will be part of the normal construction environment.

The constraints on architects are about to shift, and I’m excited to see the new art that comes into the world.

photo credit: Roman Kruglov