The Oberhauserer’s Balloon Lamp is Produced Using SPI Concrete
Amy Duong — May 31, 2026 — Art & Design
References: studio-oberhauser
Designed by Martin Oberhauser, Oberhauserer’s Balloon is an outdoor lighting collection that combines concrete construction with digital fabrication techniques. The lamp is manufactured using Selective Paste Intrusion (SPI), a powder-bed concrete 3D-printing process that builds forms layer by layer by injecting cement paste only where material is required. This approach eliminates the need for traditional formwork and enables complex geometries that would be difficult to achieve through conventional concrete casting. The resulting design adopts a rounded, inflated form that contrasts with the perceived heaviness of its material.
The collection is available in diameters of 30, 70, and 100 centimeters, allowing the lamp to function as either a subtle landscape accent or a large-scale installation. The largest version is described as the largest known 3D-printed cement lamp, demonstrating the capabilities of contemporary concrete-printing technology at architectural scale.
Image Credit: Martin Oberhauser
The collection is available in diameters of 30, 70, and 100 centimeters, allowing the lamp to function as either a subtle landscape accent or a large-scale installation. The largest version is described as the largest known 3D-printed cement lamp, demonstrating the capabilities of contemporary concrete-printing technology at architectural scale.
Image Credit: Martin Oberhauser
Trend Themes
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Concrete 3d-printing — Enables large-scale, site-specific concrete components with complex geometries that disrupt conventional prefabrication and supply chains.
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Formwork-free Fabrication — Removes the need for traditional molds and labor-intensive formwork, creating opportunities for rapid, low-waste production of bespoke structural elements.
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Material-illusion Design — Explores soft, rounded aesthetics achieved in heavy materials, prompting novel product typologies that blur expectations of weight and texture.
Industry Implications
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Architectural Lighting — The ability to 3D-print integrated concrete luminaires allows for seamless, custom-scaled lighting that reshapes specification and installation practices.
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Landscape Architecture — Scalable, durable printed lighting elements enable new approaches to outdoor programming and permanent installations that complement natural settings.
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Construction and Infrastructure — Layer-by-layer cement deposition offers potential for on-demand structural components and façade systems that challenge traditional casting and modular strategies.
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