Czech Republic: 3D Printed Home to Be Anchored on Pontoon Boat

Formnext Germany

Share this Article

The construction industry is ripe with potential for enjoying all the benefits of 3D printing—from innovative hardware and futuristic-looking robotics to complex software and a variety of materials and robust composites. The thought of an affordable, 3D-printed home is a concept that appeals to many consumers worldwide, leaving numerous developers to throw out promises for an assortment of ‘firsts,’ from homes, low-income housing developments, to villages and offices.

Now, construction developers are partnering with sculptor Michal Trpak in the Czech Republic to 3D print the “first inhabitable house.” The project, and the structure, should be complete by June. Meant to show off most of the classic perks in 3D printing, such as speed in production, lowered use of waste and carbon footprint, and affordability, the house is also … wait for it … meant to be perched atop of a boat.

“Prvok od Burinky (Protozoon) will have three rooms — a bathroom with toilet, living room with a kitchen and a bedroom,” explains the project announcement. “The building will be anchored on a pontoon and is a year-round livable house. “The house offers eco technologies such as recuperation, recirculation shower, remote control, green roof, as well as reservoirs for drinking, utility and sewage water.”

Prvok (Protozoon) will be built in the Czech Republic this June. All images courtesy of Stavební spořitelna České spořitelny (Buřinka).

3D printing of the 43 sqm / 463 square-foot structure is projected to take 48 hours, with the entire building to be finished in two months.

“The robot itself is a Czech innovation from the workshop of Trpak’s other initiative Scoolpt. A young architect and programmer Jiri Vele programmed an automotive robot for 3D printing concrete.

“Scoolpt, in collaboration with Master Builders Solutions (BASF), developed a new concrete mixture for printing that is enriched with nano-polypropylene fibers, plasticizers that improve plasticity and produce better organic shapes, and a setting accelerator. This type of concrete hardens after 24 hours to standard firmness of the foundations of a classic family house (i.e. 25 MPa). After total hardening in 28 days, the concrete acquires the values (65 MPa) — the same as in bridges.”

Some developers have already focused on additive construction at a large scale, with Italy’s WASP serving as a perfect example—and also responsible for many different projects and collaborations using cement, locally sourced clay, and other mixtures. The use of concrete, accompanied by 3D printing and additive manufacturing processes allows for a host of new techniques.

These materials are currently the focus of many scientists, too, centered around the impressive evolution of such methods in construction, and even the potential for use in space.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts; join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: Archinect]


Share this Article


Recent News

Lawmakers Reignite Effort to Block Online Sharing of 3D Printed Gun Files

Juggerbot 3D and ORNL Collaborate on 3D Printing of Thermosets and Thermoplastics



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

3D Printing News Briefs, June 11, 2025: Sustainability, Automotive Tooling, & More

We’re starting with sustainability news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as EOS has strengthened its commitment on climate responsibility, and Zestep is making 3D printing filament out of eyewear...

3D Printing 50 Polymer Stand-In Parts for Tokamaks at the PPPL & Elytt Energy

Of all the world’s things, a tokamak is one of the hardest, most complex, expensive and exacting ones to make. These fusion energy devices make plasma, and use magnets to...

3D Printing News Briefs, May 17, 2025: Color-Changing Materials, Humanoid Robot, & More

We’re covering research innovations in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs! First, Penn Engineering developed 3D printed materials that change color under stress, and UC Berkeley researchers created an open source,...

Featured

Firehawk Aerospace Partners with JuggerBot 3D, Gets $1.25M from AFWERX for 3D Printed Propellants

Texas-based Firehawk Aerospace, an advanced energetic materials firm that works with aerospace and defense applications, announced a strategic partnership with JuggerBot 3D, an Ohio-based large-format 3D printer manufacturer. Together, the...