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Architect Plans to 3D Print a Home

Friday, January 25, 2013

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A Dutch architect has unveiled plans to construct a modern house with no beginning or end.

Photos: Universe Architecture / Facebook

The Landscape House will be constructed by a large 3D printer by 2014.

But it’s how he wants to do it that has caused a stir.

Janjaap Ruijssenaars, of Universe Architecture, plans to use an enormous 3D printer to construct the two-story “Landscape House,” a design based on the twisted Möbius strip (a surface with only one side and one boundary component).

He’s working with large-scale 3D printing expert and inventor Enrico Dini on the project, reports relate.

Digital Building Design

Dini’s D-Shape printer, driven by CAD software, uses sand and a special inorganic binding agent to create a marble or stone-like material that’s reportedly stronger than cement.

Landscape House would still need concrete reinforcements, Ruijssenaars has told reporters.

The printed home will still require concrete reinforcements, the architect says.

“3D printing is amazing,” he told the BBC. "For me as an architect, it's been a nice way to construct this specific design—it has no beginning and no end, and with the 3D printer, we can make it look like that.

“In traditional construction, you have to make a mold of wood and you fill it with concrete and then you take out the wood—it's a waste of time and energy,” Ruijssenaars told the news outlet.

He hopes to print out the Landscape House by 2014.

So how much will this print job cost? Reports say about $6.6 million, or 5 million euros.

Comment from Joseph Berchenko, (1/25/2013, 9:01 AM)

A "material that's reportedly stronger than cement?" Cement isn't very "strong" until you mix it with water and aggragate to produce concrete.

Comment from Thomas Carrie, (2/20/2013, 9:56 AM)

Cement is the 'Glue' that sticks stuff to other stuff IE aggregate to sand to make concrete. Concrete isn't that strong in certain stuations either, that's why it has reinforcement added to make lintels, etc. I saw a fully working model of a 'walking machine' that had been sent thru' a 3d copier a while ago on a programme called QI.

Comment from Joseph Berchenko, (2/21/2013, 3:15 PM)

What was probably meant: "Dini’s D-Shape printer, driven by CAD software, uses sand and a special inorganic binding agent that’s reportedly stronger than cement to create a marble or stone-like material."