First 3-D-printed Housing Project Planned in Netherlands

The city of Eindhoven, Netherlands, will be the site of what developers are claiming will be the first 3-D printed concrete homes. Project partners are the municipality of Eindhoven, Eindhoven University of Technology, contractor Van Wijnen, real estate manager Vesteda, materials company Saint Gobain-Weber Beamix, and engineering firm Witteveen+Bos.

The first, a single-floor house, is expected to be completed the first half of 2019. The designs are aiming for a high level of sustainability. The first home will be printed at the university and will be just over 1000 sq. ft. with walls just under 2 inches thick. Subsequent, larger homes will be built on site. By then the team hopes the printer can also be used to make drainage pipes and other building components.

Eindhoven is considered a “hot spot” for 3-D concrete printing. The group recently printed the world’s first 3D-printed concrete bridge for cyclists in the village of Gemert.

Rudy van Gurp, a project manager with Van Wijnen, said, “Eventually, people will be able to design their own homes and then print them out.”

Watch a video about the process here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL4Na-jHecQ.

— Eindhoven University of Technology