Netherlands to Open First Community of 3D-Printed Homes

The Netherlands is set to welcome occupants into its first functional community made up of 3D-printed homes as early as next year. The first home that will be ready is a one-story, two-bedroom house, and is the smallest of five, 3D-printed concrete homes set for construction in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. The five-year initiative, called Project Milestone, is hoping to combat the country’s shortage of skilled bricklayers and revitalize the architectural industry in the Netherlands. It started thanks to a collaboration between the Eindhoven University of Technology, a global leader in 3D printing, and Dutch construction company Van Wijnen, reports Smithsonian Magazine.

The first house is going to be pretty small, just about 1,000 square feet, but the other four will be multi-story buildings. The first 3D-home is set for completion by mid-2019, while the others will be built over the next five years.

“We like the look of the houses at the moment as this is an innovation and it is a very futuristic design,” Van Wijnen manager Rudy Van Gurp said, according to Smithsonian. “But we are already looking to a take a step further and people will be able to design their own homes and then print them out. People will be able to make their homes suit them, personalize them, and make them more aesthetically pleasing.”