We all know there aren’t enough homes to accommodate the growing nation, but what if houses could be built by robots? Would this fix some of the problems happening around the world?
A few companies have already developed robots that can lay bricks, speeding up the time it takes to build a traditional brick construction home, and prefab buildings were very popular after the war, allowing the government to replace those damaged by bombings, but how about the two are combined to create design masterpieces in a fraction of the time?
Architecture studio CLS Architetti has teamed up with engineering firm Arup and 3D printing house Cybe Construction to accurately print a rounded house. The substrate used to make the sections was developed by Italian concrete firm Italcementi and is made up of mostly concrete, with some additives to make it print better.
The house was printed onsite in on Milan’s Piazza Cesare Beccaria and although it’s on 100-square metres, which probably isn’t large enough for the average family, the proof of concept shows exactly what can be done by robots to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing population.
Each section of wall takes an hour to build and the concrete takes just five minutes to cure.
“The whole idea was to show to the world that there is an alternative possibility for construction – that with new 3D printing technology it is possible to build a house in a week,” LS Architetti told Dezeen.
“And also, to show that there is a flexibility with the plans – the walls don’t always have to be straight and that it could be built anywhere; you could even print on Mars if you want.”
The architecture firm added that it’s likely the company will be able to make larger homes in the future, in a range of different styles.
