Dutch firm completed construction of the world's first 3D-printed commercial building

The first residents moved into Europe's first 3D-printed concrete house and the world's first commercial housing project in Eindhoven. Photo Credit: 3dprintedhouse

A Dutch couple has become Europe's first residents of a completely 3D printed home, ushering towards a new era of choice in the style and design of potential homes. The city of Eindhoven intends that Project Milestone will pave the way for large-scale development of 3D houses with all modern conveniences.

The three-room, the single-story house has a wooden roof and is 1,000 square feet in size. It is shaped like a boulder and is surrounded by greenery and open space. At the site being built as a "sculpture garden," four more houses will be ready as part of the Milestone Project.

As per information on the project's website, these houses are anticipated to be operated for at least several decades. According to the designers, 3D printing technology allows them to be more creative, whereas conventional concrete design was very rigid. They say one of the benefits of using a 3D concrete printer is that it can lay concrete only where it is required, reducing waste and CO2 emissions from further cement use.

Builders can also construct very fine concrete structures using 3D concrete printing. Another benefit of this technology is that it allows builders to respond to customers' specific needs without the construction costs. According to the architects, 3D technology assisted them in naturally blending the houses with the wooded surroundings, as if they had always been in this wooded oasis.

The municipality of Eindhoven and the Technical University of Eindhoven announced their intention to create these houses during the 2016 Dutch Design Week. The business group joined in 2017, and the first residents have now moved into the first building.

The first house's building elements were printed at the Eindhoven University of Technology, but the fifth house, which is a two-story structure, will be printed on-site.

In Chennai, India also got its first 3D-printed house a few days ago. The 600-square-foot single-story house was built using indigenous concrete 3D printing technology.

The team designed the house said that the structure was printed using a specialty concrete that they created to print large-scale 3D structures. The mix was made with ordinary portland cement, which has a lower water-cement ratio, according to the company. The use of such locally sourced materials would also eliminate the need to ship concrete over long distances, lowering environmental effects.