3D Printed Homes….
Project Milestone- 3D Printed Home- Eindhoven (The Netherlands)- www.3dprintedhouse.nl
I’ve never been a big fan of the idea of 3D printing at the construction scale. It always seems like an application of technology looking for relevance. The ideas presented for ‘printing’ a home are always used to replace the exterior framing, which is not where the inefficiencies in the building process really preside. I would argue that the development and distribution of dimensional lumber is one of societi’s greatest inventions. Its versatility, weight, strength, speed of erection, and ability to be sustainably harvested are pretty incredible.
Of the 3D printing concepts I have seen go by, this Dutch project is interesting, in that it is made up of a series of prefab modular sections, which are then assembled on-site. The idea of injecting 3D printed components into the logistical stream of existing prefabricated/field-assembled construction practices is an interesting twist on the idea of 3D fabrication. I don’t know that it drags me over to the camp of believing in the tech long term, but I do think it is a more practical implementation of technology than a robot sitting on a site, extruding concrete in circles for weeks.
This tech has interesting possibilities for areas with shortages of labor, remote areas, or space exploration, but in normal society, displacing skilled labor in favor of automation is not always a path to success. But, if the volatility of commodity prices continues into the future, we may see more mainstream acceptance of alternative building technologies in the future.
Project Milestone Resources: