Oberhauser Balloon
Price range: $300.00 through $5,000.00
A sculptural object as much as an outdoor lighting element, inspired by organic patterns — with the layer lines of the printing process visible across each form. 3D printed in concrete, made in Caledonia, Michigan.
From the Oberhauser Collection. Sculpture by day, light by night.
The Oberhauser Balloon takes its form from organic patterns — growth without symmetry. The printing process stays visible: layer lines run across each piece as the texture itself, not something to conceal.
The Balloon is built to hold light. Place a low-voltage outdoor lighting source inside, and the form lights up through its layered surface.
Studio Oberhauser
Designed by Martin Oberhauser, founder of Studio Oberhauser. The Oberhauser Collection draws from biological forms — patterns of growth, accumulation, and surface, reinterpreted through algorithmic methods. Each piece is approached as a study in tension: between mass and detail, weight and refinement, the digital tool and the human hand.
Selective Paste Intrusion
The Oberhauser Balloon is printed in Selective Paste Intrusion (SPI) — the highest-resolution concrete 3D printing process available today. Where extrusion-based concrete printers lay continuous beads, SPI selectively binds a dry aggregate matrix layer by layer, producing geometries no other concrete process can reach.
The print method leaves its own signature. Fine ring-like patterns emerge across each surface, much like growth rings in wood — a record of the printing process visible in the finished piece. No two pieces are identical.
Each piece is madein our Caledonia, Michigan workshop — three generations into the Kerkstra family’s work with concrete. The print is left as it comes off the bed; the layer lines are intentional.
Color & Material
Made in SPI concrete, sealed for outdoor use. Color is integral to the material, not a coating. Limestone is the natural concrete tone.
Lighting
The Balloon is compatible with most low-voltage outdoor lighting systems. A light source placed inside illuminates the piece through its layered geometry. Light source not included.
Lead Time
Each piece is made to order. Lead time is approximately six weeks from order confirmation.
Warranty
Backed by Mangrove’s warranty. Download the warranty statement (PDF).