Van Wijnen is an innovative company in the Netherlands working with the city of Eindhoven to build what might become the first community of 3D-printed houses.
The community will have firehouses, all of which will be 3D-printed using concrete. The company plans to first print a relatively simple one-story house. Then the subsequent houses will be built upon the one that was printed before.
From experience obtained from printing the first few houses, the company will then move to 3D-printing two stories house. At first, the houses will be printed offsite, and the parts shipped to the final location – in the Meerhoven district of Eindhoven – where they will then be assembled.
The goal is to make these futuristic-looking 3D-printed houses not just functional building, but a masterpiece of art. The community could end up looking like a somewhat sculptured garden.
But why 3D-Print houses? Where’s the advantage over conventional ways?
The Guardian published an article reading that the Netherlands is experiencing a serious shortage of bricklayers for building houses. The technology being fronted by innovative companies such as Van Wijnen could present a sustainable solution to the growing problem of bricklayers shortage.
In the Netherlands, it is becoming increasingly expensive to use bricklayers in construction. 3D-printing technology solves the problems in more than just one way. For one, there is significantly less material wastage, and since it’s designed in a computer and the printer given instructions, the bricks could be reinforced with insulation and then coated with repellant; all at once.
There is also the added advantage of the owner customizing the house according to their preferences. All these done in front of a computer before the Ctrl + P keys are hit on the keyboard.
Van Wijnen wants these houses not to be a work of art, but practical building for people to live and work in on a day-to-day basis. The company’s first 3D-printed home should be ready by the end of 2019. There are already buyers for these houses, with the waiting list having at least 20 customers. It seems Van Wijnen won’t be having any trouble finding tenants to rent the 3D-printed homes.
