A Look at Pioneering 3D-printed Homes Around the World

Brief

Additively manufactured houses, many of which are made with concrete mixes, are popping up around the world, from a single-family house in the US to a 3D-printed apartment building in China. Meanwhile, the Fibonacci House in British Columbia is the first 3D-printed concrete house available for rent on Airbnb.

Insight

Let’s face it, 3D printed houses are still a pretty fresh trend. Although construction 3D printing has been in development for quite a few years, only recently have some “real” projects seen the light of day. We’re still far from seeing the technology take over conventional methods of construction. But with each new project, the technology comes closer to becoming mainstream.

This is in part because of construction 3D printing’s many advantages. For example, the cost of a 3D printed house can be much lower than an equivalent conventionally built one. The time taken can also be much lower.

Both to celebrate what’s already been accomplished and report on some of the more interesting projects out there, this article will focus on some “firsts”. In other words, we’ll be covering 3D printed houses that hold a record for being the first in some aspect.

These projects will always remain important for the construction 3D printing industry, as they laid the foundations for future advancements in the field.

First 3D Printed House In Germany

Germany is a country that’s often associated with advanced engineering, so let’s start our list with the first-ever 3D printed house in Germany.The house itself is located in Beckum, a town that’s part of the North Rhine-Westphalia state, right next to the Netherlands and Belgium.

And it’s significant because it’s the first 3D printed home that’s fully certified under a national government’s building regulations. The consequences of such an achievement are expected to pave the way for many more construction 3D printing projects in Germany as well as the rest of Europe.