The next trend in property? Building a 3D printed house

2 min read

If you thought the 3D printing trend had recreated just about everything, think again. It seems acoustic guitars, fully functional guns and a prosthetic arm were only the beginning.

Construction on the world’s first 3D printed house is now underway. Is this taking things too far? Not according to Dus Architects, the Dutch company that is building the property in Amsterdam. The architects are predicting a revolution in the housing sector as a result.

The Canal House is currently being built at an expo site in the city’s north. The 13-room building is being produced with the help of an enormous, industrial-strength 3D printer known as the KamerMaker (or “room builder” in Dutch). The printer creates bricks made of molten plastic, that will provide the foundations for each room.

The site functions as a construction zone, museum and research space in one. Visitors can already purchase tickets to see the building process unfold, with construction expected to take three years. It seems even Barack Obama is intrigued – the US president received a briefing on the project while in Amsterdam in late March.

The 3D printing trend has swept the globe, as the specially-designed printers have become more available to the general public. The printers – primarily used in prototyping and manufacturing – produce three-dimensional objects based on digital models. They have been used to assist with everything from small at-home art projects to major medical advances. According to recent reports, scientists are currently working on the world’s first 3D printed human heart.

3D printing could prove particularly useful in emerging property markets, where the housing industry is highly polluting and often inefficient. The Canal House architects claim their project could be a major breakthrough for the real estate sector. The technology can help eliminate waste, reduce transport costs and encourage recycling, they say. “This could revolutionise how we make our cities,” Hedwig Heinsman of Dus told The Guardian.