The state’s first fully 3D-printed residential building has been completed in Burbank, Southern California. The 40-square-meter “Solar Futures House” was built on the campus of Woodbury University and will be used for residential purposes and as a guest house for the university from 2023.
According to YouTuber Shelby Church, who presented the building, it was originally designed as part of an architecture student project for a sustainability competition. In total, it took around 15 months to complete. However, the printing time for the concrete walls was only 9 days.
Although the construction costs were relatively high at around 250,000 US dollars, they are roughly equivalent to the cost of a conventional prefabricated house of this size in the region. However, the builders promise that economies of scale could make 3D concrete printing significantly cheaper in the medium term.
According to Shelby Church, the house scores points above all for its stability against earthquakes and fires. Concrete construction is also much more resource-efficient and sustainable than conventional wooden buildings. Another advantage of additive manufacturing is the flexibility of the design. For example, round walls and ceilings could be realized.
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