This 3D Printed House is Made From Clay
Italians, who are celebrated for their devotion to architecture and history, are turning a new chapter in their love of design – but now within the 3D printing space. Italy’s pioneering 3D printing company, WASP (short for World’s Advanced Saving Project) teamed up with Mario Cucinella Architects to design the first house 3D-printed from raw earth.
This sustainable living project, called Tecla (which signifies technology and clay) is a state-of-the-art eco-habitat based on a circular housing model. Built in the Massa Lombarda region in northern Italy, the house was made using only “reusable and recyclable materials, sourced from natural products adaptable to any climate.” In addition to clay, rice straws and husks were also used for the construction. Given that local soil was used and no materials needed to be transported to the construction site, the operation is considered zero-waste and has a low-carbon footprint.
Its circular shape and external ridges give structural balance to the house, which consists of a living area, kitchen, and bedroom, which is partially furnished. The structure is made from 350 12mm layers and 60 cubic meters of natural materials for average consumption of less than 6kW. This Italian clay marvel was constructed in 200 hours by Crane WASP, the company’s latest advancement in on-site 3D construction.
It’s an Infinity 3D printer with a modular collaborative 3D printing system. The Crane WASP is a spin on “the classic building cranes from a digital manufacturing” perspective. It consists of the main printer unit that can be assembled in different configurations contingent upon the printing area and the dimensions of the 3D architectural structure.
The print area of the single module is 6.60 meters in diameter for a height of 3 meters. One solo module operates self-sufficiently by printing a range of fluids – from cement, and bio cement, to natural dough. The house, described as “organic and cave-like” uses ancient raw materials, but while its materials may seem primitive, its 3D printing technology is anything but. This is intentional for Cucinella’s practice, which emphasizes “humane’ architecture”.
