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3D printed cityscape shells

3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty

We stumbled upon this amazing post on boredpanda recently, which is just too gorgeous not to share - Japanese artist Aki Inomata has printed out 3D, clear plastic shells covered in mini cities for hermit crabs.

According to boredpanda, 'Hermit crabs usually inhabit vacated snail shells, but in their absence, they’ve been known to inhabit pieces of wood, stone or plastic, so their “partnership” with Inomata isn’t all that strange. Instead of their usual shells, Inomata provided them with tiny works of art to carry on their backs. The series is aptly titled “Why Not Hand Over a ‘Shelter’ to Hermit Crabs?”'

3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty
3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty
3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty
3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty
3D printed cityscape shells on Hello Pretty

The cityscapes include New York, Zaanse Schans, Thailand, Santorini, Honfuer and Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou. Check out the video showing how they're created and how the hermit crabs moved into their new homes:

Process of "Why Hand Over a 'Shelter' to Hermit Crabs? " AKI INOMATA from Aki Inomata on Vimeo.

Pretty right? I kind of want one!

Art
Design
Hello Pretty

Posted by Lee on 02 Sep 2014

Reading, writing, sketching, painting, making. Hopeful designer. Recent Capetonian, Durbanite at heart. Head of Strategy and Social at Hello Pretty.