Earthseed Dome by Lily Kwong opens January 17 in San Francisco, blending ecology, architecture, and 3D-printed soil bricks into a living, regenerative public installation.

Launching January 17th, Earthseed Dome opens to the public in Transamerica Redwood Park, bringing ecology, architecture, and advanced fabrication into one quietly ambitious installation in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Presented by ICA San Francisco as part of its nomadic, city-wide exhibition model, Earthseed Dome continues the institution’s commitment to meeting audiences where they are. Its launch coincides with San Francisco Art Week, when the city briefly pauses to remember how much it enjoys creative risk.

Created by Bay Area artist Lily Kwong, Earthseed Dome isn’t something that simply appears fully formed. It’s built slowly, in public, using 3D-printed soil bricks embedded with seeds. Yes, soil. Yes, seeds. And yes, robots.

The fabrication process is where things get especially interesting for design-minded readers. The dome is produced using robotic arm technology developed in close collaboration with Atelio, a fabrication studio known for pushing digital making into new material territory, and WASP, the Italian pioneers behind large-scale 3D printing systems engineered specifically for earth-based construction. This is not technology as spectacle. It’s precision engineering applied to one of the oldest building materials humans have ever used.

Watching the dome come together feels part construction site, part performance. The bricks are printed on site, layer by layer, turning process into the point and making the act of building just as compelling as the finished structure. If Brutalism went to a regenerative design retreat, this might be the outcome.

Once completed, the structure doesn’t stop working. Embedded seeds will sprout over time, allowing the dome to evolve with the seasons. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the work and act as seed carriers, extending the project beyond the park itself. Less “look but don’t touch,” more “participate and return.”

At its core, Earthseed Dome is a reminder that innovation and responsibility don’t have to sit on opposite sides of the table. With Atelio and WASP at the helm of fabrication, the project shows how advanced tools can support regenerative thinking rather than overpower it. High tech, low ego, and refreshingly grounded. Literally.

Earthseed Dome opens January 17 and will be on view at Transamerica Redwood Park through summer 2026. If you happen to be in San Francisco and nearby, look for the structure that’s quietly growing beneath the iconic Transamerica Pyramid while the rest of the city rushes past.