They might seem like an invention from the future, but the truth is that 3D printed homes have been a reality for years, so there are already many cool printed property projects you can find around the world. But which are the coolest? Find out in our blog.
1. Housing development in Lancashire, UK
As we’re based in the UK, we’re a little biased about this project, but, of course, we’re most excited about the recent announcement of the UK’s first 3D printed homes project. Not-for-profit housing provider Building for Humanity has launched a project in Lancashire to build an estate of 46 properties for low income families, veterans, and the homeless. 3D printed homes are generally cheaper, less wasteful, and faster to build than their traditional counterparts, so this first UK project could be the start of a housing revolution in the UK.
2. Fire-resistant homes in California
Wildfires are fairly common in the USA, especially in California, meaning that building fire-resistant homes is all the more important in the area. 3D printed housing company Emergent3D thinks it’s found the solution. The company has built a 111 square meter home in California that it claims is fire resistant. The company has also started working on identical houses in different areas that are frequently affected by fires to see how the buildings fare.
3. The TECLA project in Italy
Standing for Technology and Clay, the TECLA project brings together the past and the future by combining the “spirit of timeless ancient dwellings and the incredible technology of 3D printed homes.” The structures were made from clay, which was taken from a nearby riverbed. The layers undulate, which provides support to the structure, an unusual look, and a thermal barrier.
The structures include skylights and a glazed door at the entrance, providing the houses with an abundance of natural light during the day. Mario Cucinella Architects, the company behind the project, state “The project takes inspiration from the potter wasp to offer solutions to housing emergencies around the world, both in the peripheral areas of metropolitan cities and in the context of crises generated by mass migration and natural disasters.”
4. Eindhoven’s occupied 3D printed home project
The project in Eindhoven was the first 3D printed rental in Europe to be occupied. Dutch couple Elize Lutz and Harrie Dekkers moved in on 30th April 2021 and commented that they thought their new home was “beautiful” like a “fairytale garden” and had the “safe… feel of a bunker”.
The home is effectively a prefabricated property as the 24 pieces of concrete that make up the 3D printed home were printed at a site nearby and then transported to the plot so the house could be assembled and completed on-site.
Dutch architects Houben and Van Mierlo were inspired by the shape of a boulder, which you can see in the construction’s sloped exterior walls.
5. A fully recyclable house
Just recently, it was announced that researchers have created a home made from completely natural waste materials. The home is made from wood fibres and resins left over from sawmills. Granted, the property does sit on a concrete foundation, but the rest is fully made from “wood flour” sawmill waste.
6. Habitat for Humanity’s lived-in 3D printed homes in Virginia
Although many of the 3D printed homes on this list are prototypes and still remain unoccupied, Habitat for Humanity gave the keys to their first low-income occupants in late 2021. But it didn’t come for free: the new homeowner, April Stringfield, had to put in a lot of “sweat equity” hours, i.e. labour, with Habitat before she was given the keys. This included helping to build her home, enrolling in home ownership classes, or volunteering at Habitat’s shop.
The one-storey home has a classic American style, complete with stone pillars and slanted roof. Better yet, the property includes a 3D printer, allowing Stringfield to 3D print anything she needs, such as doorknobs or shelves. This makes the home all the more affordable for Stringfield’s family in the longrun.
7. Switzerland’s DFAB House
Quite possibly one of the most striking homes on this list, the DFAB House was created using a combination of 3D printers and robots, meaning it was almost completely made digitally. The proof-of-concept has a number of smart features, including:
- Opening the blinds and warming the kettle with one command
- Automated glare and shading options
- Saving heat from wastewater
- Pumping hot water back into the boiler when not in use
On the construction of the innovative house, ETH Professor of Architecture and Digital Fabrication Matthias Kohler said that the DFAB House: “brings together a range of new digital building technologies together. This allows us to use the advantages of each individual method as well as their synergies, and express them architecturally.”
8. The first 3D printed home on Airbnb
The Fibonacci House is the first 3D printed home in Canada – and the first to be listed on Airbnb. This tiny home, which is embedded in a vibrant forest, can sleep up to two adults and two children and offers beautiful views of Kootenay Lake and the surrounding mountains in Procter, British Columbia.
Get insurance from the first UK insurance company to cover your 3D printed home
If you’re tempted to buy yourself a 3D printed home, make sure you contact Adrian Flux for your 3D printed home insurance. We’re the first insurance provider in the UK to offer cover for these unusual homes – call us on 0800 081 0777 for a quote or request a callback.