A Dutch construction company is daring to think the unthinkable – building the first liveable 3D homes.
Van Wijnen is 3D printing the first homes in the world that are able to pass a home inspection.
Dubbed Project Milestone, the futuristic homes will be 3D printed near the city of Eindhoven.
There are five houses in total, each with a unique shape and size that shows off the flexibility of the cutting-edge tech.
Since the printer is essentially a giant concrete nozzle that moves along a two-dimensional track high up in the air, architects are able to design homes in pretty much any shape they like.
Right now, the homes are printed in pieces off-site, then transported to their final destination.
Towards the end of the project, the team hopes to make further adjustments by bringing the printer on-site.
In all, this results in a more streamlined process – especially as a brick and mortar structure can take more than six months to complete.
The simplified assembly isn’t the only advantage 3D printing has to offer over conventional building methods. The process requires less workers, keeping costs down and accidents to a minimum.
The futuristic vision is one of many projects around the world using 3D printing to build unique houses. Austin-based startup ICON developed a way to print a bungalow for $10,000.
While the technology around 3D printing is emerging, there are still questions arising from the variability of cement-based materials and their structural integrity, as well as environmental impact.
It’s unlikely conventional methods will be entirely replaced, but 3D printing is expanding and could streamline how homes are built.
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