By now, we’ve all heard of 3D printers. These magic machines that can print anything from pancakes to prosthetic arms. But did you know there are robots that can print actual houses you can live in?
Turns out builders all over the world are working towards creating these unique constructs to offer buyers affordable and sustainable housing they can plop down anywhere.
And, one Ukraine company, PassivDom, says they can print one model in about eight hours. They print the walls, roof and platform on a printer in their Ukraine and California factories in just about day’s work. The windows, doors, plumbing and electric are added later using good old fashioned human labor.
And these aren’t just some thrown-together houses. These are beautiful (although tiny) homes that have us all rethinking our living quarters.
The clean, functional space with floor-to-ceiling windows makes the house seem much larger than 380 square feet.
The basic model does not have a separate bedroom, so the use of a pull-out bed is required.
But it does come with a small kitchen and bathroom. Check out the layout below.
Best yet, these houses require no construction site, just a plot of land. According to the website, “The house is 100 percent energy self-sufficient, it heats and conditions air and has its own water storage system.”
Meaning there is no need to hook it up to the power grid or water and sewage lines. So, you can live off the grid in the middle of nowhere if you’d like.
As tiny and self-sufficient houses become more the rage, the ability to construct them efficiently and safely is becoming increasingly important. And, PassivDom is not the only company in the game.
San Francisco-based ApisCor has the ability to print a house on-site, and proved it in December 2016 when they constructed the first one in Moscow, Russia.
Meanwhile, in Chattanooga, Tennessee the folks at Branch Technology are working on using cellular fabrication to build their printed houses.
If you are curious about these unique 3D printed houses, but not quite ready to commit $32,000, PassivDom has a test drive application on their website. Those interested are invited to stay a few days and try it out.