Large 3D Printed House Launched in Houston

PERI, working with CIVE as the general contractor, is constructing a two-story building. The companies claim the project is the largest 3D-printed residential building so far in the US. The 4,000-square-foot project integrates a hybridized construction method that combines concrete 3D printing with wood framing.

The goal is to allow the two material systems to be used strategically. “For the design of the project, we developed a hybrid construction approach that couples innovations in concrete 3D printing with traditional wood framing techniques,” said Leslie Lok, co-founder of HANNAH, in a statement. “We wanted to create a building system that is structurally efficient, easily replicable, and materially responsive.”

This video shows the process of construction.

The building design is conceptualized as a series of printed cores that contain functional spaces and stairs. The spatial cores are connected by wood framing to produce an architectural alternation of concrete and framed interiors. The project’s scalable design and construction process was created for multifamily housing and mixed-use construction. “The project highlights the design potential of mass-customized architectural components to meet homeowner’s needs and to simplify building system integration,” said Lok. “These design efforts aim to increase the impact, applicability, sustainability, and cost efficiency of 3D printing for future residential and multi-family buildings in the US.”

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