Construction underway on the first multi-story 3D printed home in the U.S.

It can be difficult to get on the property ladder, especially for younger generations. Home prices keep rising while wages continue to stagnate, and household debt grows ever higher. To many, the idea of owning a home can seem like a dream that is always just out of reach. For a while, tiny houses seemed to fill the gap, offering individuals the opportunity to buy a piece of land and use their DIY skills to build a small, often movable home that was customized to the owner’s needs. The next trend in home construction, however, might be additive manufacturing.

HANNAH, PERI 3D Construction, and CIVE have partnered on a project to 3D print a two-story single-family home in Texas. This 4,000-square foot home will be the first multi-story printed structure in the United States. According to HANNAH, the project will demonstrate the potential of 3D printing in the construction industry, featuring custom architectural details and a resilient structure that can stand up to inclement weather. The project will be constructed using a combination of 3D printed concrete and wood framing.

Architizer is reporting that the COBOD BOD2 gantry printer being utilized for the build can be set up in one day and can run 24 hours a day. According to Reuters, the three-bedroom home will take more that 330 hours of printing to complete. Since the printer can function without much intervention, fewer workers will need to be present on the jobsite.