In just a few short years, 3D printed architecture technology has matured from producing basic hut-like homes to creating a community of low-cost housing.
Another interesting development in this area comes from Kamp C in Antwerp, Belgium, which recently built a prototype 3D-printed house with two floors, using what it calls Europe’s largest 3D printer.
The unnamed project measures roughly 90 sq m (around 970 sq ft), and is the first 3D-printed house with two floors. It was constructed using a COBOD BOD2 printer measuring 10 x 10 metres.
As with other 3D-printed projects, the construction process involved extruding a special cement-like mixture out of a nozzle and building up the basic structure in layers until it was complete.
Human labourers then came in and put the finishing touches in place, such as the roof and windows, for example.
It was completed on-site over three weeks, but Kamp C reckons this could be reduced to as little as two days in the future.
The house was created for research purposes, and to highlight the possibilities of 3D-printed architecture — so there are no plans for anyone to live in it.
“The material’s compressive strength is three times greater than that of the conventional quick build brick,” project manager Marijke Aerts says.
“Besides the fibres in the concrete, the amount of wire-mesh reinforcement used is extremely limited. As a result of the printing technology used, formwork was redundant, saving an estimated 60% on material, time, and budget.”
