Haruka Misawa's 3D printed aquascapes will make you wish you were a fish

May 28, 2016 | By Tess

It seems that pet grooming has gone to new extremes as of late, with diamond encrusted dog collars, carry-on bags that cost more than a flight, oatmeal facials (I know!), and pet massages. While they are sometimes too extravagant, this latest pet luxury is actually more of a work of art. What I am referring to, of course, are these stunning aquariums designed by Japanese artist Haruka Misawa, which were designed and made with 3D printing technologies.

Misawa’s artful and delicate aquariums fit into the trend of aquascaping, which was popularized in Japan in the 1990s, and which consists of creating meticulously detailed life-like looking landscapes within an underwater, aquarium context. Though Misawa’s designs do not themselves resemble any existing landscapes, her aquascape designs are bringing the craft to a new, more technological level.

That is, the artist has been integrating 3D printed and intricately designed sculptural pieces into the underwater environment, to an amazing effect. Of course, she is not just 3D printing tiny treasure chests or toy scuba divers to adorn the aquariums, but is making conceptual and delicate designs that use water’s unique properties to transform the aquarium environment. In one of her pieces, for instance, a transparent globe, resembling a hot-air balloon, is actually capable of trapping air, and can have plants growing inside of it.

“Underneath the surface of water is a unique environment that exudes an energy [that] is completely opposite from that which is surrounded by air,” says Misawa. “The inner space of this fish tank is created by combining two simple elements of container and water, with an extraordinary world created that differs from the world with air…delicate structures that are prone to damage caused by their own weight on land are able to maintain a stable state because of the relative force of gravity and buoyancy.”

Misawa designed each of the stunning aquascapes with the help of 3D designers Kennichi Hashimoto and Kosho Yamasaki, who helped her to integrate and translate organic, underwater environments into 3D printed structures. You might have to wait before getting your hands on one, however, as the series consists of one-of-a-kind prototypes, and it is unclear whether they will be more than just art pieces.

Haruka Misawa, founder of the Misawa Design Institute, was a former member of Japanese firm Nendo, which itself has been creating some truly wonderful designs, like these 3D printed bonsai trees. Currently, Misawa’s aquascapes are on exhibition in Taiwan.