In the Netherlands, four multi-storey houses are being built from 3D-printed concrete panels
The Milestone project prints 1,200 concrete panels indoors for four two- and three-storey houses; the first single-storey printed house appeared in Eindhoven five years ago.
Four more houses made with 3D printing are being printed in the Netherlands, five years after the first single-storey printed house was built in Eindhoven, according to larazon.es, which cites the broadcaster RTL larazon.es
larazon.eslarazon.esOpen source ↗. The owners are due to receive their keys next summer. The project is known internationally as Milestone.
Panels printed indoors
All panels are made in a closed industrial hall in the city, which protects the material from outdoor weather. Peter Paul Cornelissen, 3D printing manager at Saint-Gobain Weber, said that concrete reacts very violently to fluctuations in temperature, wind and humidity. According to him, all these factors can be kept constant indoors, but not outdoors.
Unlike projects elsewhere where houses are printed in situ, here 1,200 panels are produced, each 90 centimetres wide and one metre high. The panels are then transported to the final site. The printing process is to be completed in early 2027.
The builder Van Wijnen made substantial improvements over the first prototype. Its corners weighed up to 13 tonnes, and it showed minor moisture problems and cracks larazon.es
larazon.eslarazon.esOpen source ↗. Cornelissen recalled that all these pieces had to be transported to the site and assembled there. The team has since learned to work with smaller elements that are easier to handle.
Prices and future residents
The new houses went on sale at 635,000 euros for a two-storey house and 700,000 euros for a three-storey house. They sold out quickly, even though there was no previous experience with multi-level printed structures in the Netherlands.
Among the future residents is Stefan van der Sman, who studied civil engineering. He said the project interested him immediately, partly because of its unusual shape. A neighbour, Fleur, said each house has its own terrace but no fenced yard, and residents share a small park.
