So, it’s not at all a leap to propose the idea of 3D printed housing, specifically as a low-cost solution. With materials in hand, it’s a relatively fast and budget-friendly way to develop structures, which can do wonders in third-world environments and low-income areas.
That’s exactly the idea behind Yves Béhar’s new project, the “world’s first” 3D printed community. A lot of 3D printed construction has been nothing more than renderings and we’re very skeptical about any 3D printing housing project. 3D printed construction is turning out to be a market for dreamers and con men, but we’re keeping an open mind and hope that this established designer actually makes this project happen.
Low-Income Housing for Latin America
Yves Béhar’s design studio Fuseproject has teamed up with New Story and ICON to develop affordable yet high-quality housing for low-income families. Originally, the idea was to put together suitable housing for families living on less than $200 a month. They’ve now adapted their project to accommodate farmers and palm weavers in Latin America. The exact location of the fortunate community has not been disclosed, however.
The 3D printed homes will be developed sometime later this year, and will collectively provide a haven for an active, budding community as opposed to individual families. That means the team will work together with residents to choose a suitable plot of land, and the homes will be developed in bulk.
In terms of design, every residence will occupy a 120-square-meter lot with interiors comprising 55 square meters or roughly 592 square feet. Each home will include a covered outdoor kitchen and dining room, as well as nearby gardens and land to support chickens.
The abodes will be constructed out of concrete, with varying color tints to choose from. The roof of each home is curved to help buffer against rain and strong winds, while the framing and structure will be reinforced to withstand seismic events.
Along the top walls, perforated concrete blocks will allow for steady airflow to create for natural ventilation. The interior will also be designed to accommodate optimized airflow for better cooling and comfort.
Additional features include curved interior walls with built-in seating, ledges and storage. Also, the surface of the walls and floors are easy to clean to help prevent mold buildup due to strong humidity.
What Does This Mean for Low-Income Construction?
There’s no way to say for sure the long-term effect this will have on low-income development projects and related communities, Yves Béhar’s project hasn’t even been completed yet. It’s entirely possible these homes won’t stand up to the climate and environmental events as promised. However, we can refer to the potential of 3D printed housing in other areas of the world.One company, for example, named WASP, or World’s Advanced Saving Project, has developed a 3D printer that can make homes out of mud. It builds shelter much like a potter wasp builds its nest, layering it like clay pottery. The printer can be configured to work with a variety of additional materials including plastic and ceramic.
This is welcome news, considering the World Resource Institute’s recent report that over 1.2 billion people lack access to affordable housing. The rise of functional yet highly-affordable additive manufacturing processes could be just the solution we need as a society to end such problems.
It will take a while yet, but the technology can be outfitted to work with a variety of materials suitable in varying environments and climates. The project from Yves Béhar and crew is just one example of concrete being used in new ways, while WASP’s printer could be used in more impoverished areas where conventional materials are unavailable.
As a whole, 3D printed homes will hopefully be a viable solution for low-income communities the world over. It will be interesting to see where the Latin American community goes from here. Hopefully, there’s a follow-up after the homes are actually developed, which reveals how the residents are faring and what additional benefits the low-income housing offered them.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
You May Also Like
Profiling a Construction 3D Printing Pioneer: US Army Corps of Engineers’ Megan Kreiger
The world of construction 3D printing is still so new that the true experts can probably be counted on two hands. Among them is Megan Kreiger, Portfolio Manager of Additive...
US Army Corps of Engineers Taps Lincoln Electric & Eaton for Largest 3D Printed US Civil Works Part
The Soo Locks sit on the US-Canadian border, enabling maritime travel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, from which ships can reach the rest of the Great Lakes. Crafts carrying...
Construction 3D Printing CEO Reflects on Being Female in Construction
Natalie Wadley, CEO of ChangeMaker3D, could hear the words of her daughter sitting next to her resounding in her head. “Mum, MUM, you’ve won!” Wadley had just won the prestigious...
1Print to Commercialize 3D Printed Coastal Resilience Solutions
1Print, a company that specializes in deploying additive construction (AC) for infrastructure projects, has entered an agreement with the University of Miami (UM) to accelerate commercialization of the SEAHIVE shoreline...