prototypes, car parts or even human organs – there seems to be hardly something can print to the 3D printer. Since it is hardly surprising that a technology Startup, based in Austin (Texas/USA) builds entire houses with a 3D printer created. The company is called Icon, and is now thinking even bigger than just in individual houses. Together with the Nonprofit organization New Story, which has already built more frequently in El Salvador, Mexico, and Bolivia traditional houses for the poor, is to develop a whole village in South America, from printed houses. 50 buildings, it can be concluded, in the needy families from the summer to move in. The plot sizes of 120 square meters, while the single-storey building will have a planned area of about 55 square meters. The family later needs more space on the roof afterwards and even a second floor build.
My Block the house from the printer
Conventional 3D printers, the industry has to build a house, of course, too small. Because it needs to be Bigger: Three and a half meters high and ten meters long, the monster with the name “Vulcan II”, the Icon for this purpose has developed. As a Material of a pasty concrete, which is applied in individual strands, and a wall forms comes. The results, of course, in the end, no just space, but a wall with Ribs. At first glance, this seems unusual, but it also has a certain aesthetic appeal and a vibrant structure. Also can be Build countertops, for example, in the kitchen, benches on the wall or shelves printed. This saves time for the interior.
in no time, a house
Not only the further Expansion facilitated using the 3D method. The main advantage of the construction is, of course, the tremendously quickly created shell construction: In only 24 hours, he is done. The roof is then attached as a separate concrete slab, when the walls are dried, and resilient. Cost of printing also is Less than $ 4,000 to the cost of the raw form of the house. And waste is largely avoided, since the material is injected directly with no intermediate steps in its later Form.
As the life in the houses will be?
in Spite of the concrete as a construction material the final settlement will give off later, no gray dreariness.
dyes in the concrete mix allow an individual design of the houses in a variety of colors from Yellow to Red and turquoise to Blue. The roof is constructed also drooping. This not only provides protection from sun and rain, but also forms a terrace area as a neighbourhood meeting point, where there is also an Outdoor kitchen will be located. Inside, the houses will be equipped with simple wooden furniture.
Where exactly in South America, the houses are built, is not disclosed by the involved partners for the time being. It is, however, to a more rural location and the families that move in, are currently living mainly from agriculture and simple crafts. The new houses are intended to provide a safe home and protection from the forces of nature and, ultimately, the way out of poverty easier.
