Each pod is created using a 3D printing technique that builds up layers of locally-sourced sand combined with a magnesium-based binder. The forms of the pods are based upon a 3D interpretation of the masharabiya, resulting in a complex internal structure with a very large surface area. Water would be drawn up inside the pods and then it would evaporate, cooling air as it passes through the structure.
http://inhabitat.com/3d-printed-sand-pods-create-cooling-microclimates/2/
