The city of Eindhoven in the Netherlands will be the testing ground for the first ever set of 3D-printed concrete homes. According to The Guardian, the builders hope to present a much lower-cost alternative to current building workflows. Cheaper housing costs, in theory, should lead to lower housing costs in general.
Known as Project Milestone, the development is said by the Dutch construction company Van Wijnen to offer a solution to a shortage of skilled bricklayers in the Netherlands.
The method will also cut costs and environmental damage by reducing the amount of cement that is used, said Rudy van Gurp, a manager at the firm, which is working in collaboration on the project with the Eindhoven University of Technology.
The project as it stands right now would include production of five new homes, the first four of which would still need manual plumbing installed. The hope, according to the designers, is that by the time they are in production for the final, largest home, 3D printing of drainage systems will be available to them. 3D printing would allow for a lot more latitude in what could be incorporated into the building designs as well, including easier integration of “smart home” capabilities.
The five houses, described in a press release as “erratic blocks in a green landscape,” derive their irregular shape from the advanced capabilities of 3D printing. In addition to producing almost any shape, 3D printing can incorporate various kinds, qualities and colors of concrete in a single element. The precision allowed by the process enables builders to finetune homes in accordance with architects’ or inhabitants’ wishes.
You can watch the promotional video for this possible game-changing construction project below the fold.