The world's first 3D printed house from raw earth

The world's first sustainable homes are 3D printed with locally available soil, helping to provide shelter to people displaced by natural disasters.

The new 3D printed house design is the product of architect Mario Cucinella. He hopes this advanced construction technology can help tackle homelessness. Cucinella named the design the TECLA house after the combination of technology and clay.

3D printed houses designed by Mario Cucinella.

"TECLA will shape the future by transforming ancient materials with the technology we have available today. The aesthetic aspect of the house is a combination of engineering and materials. Our goal is to satisfy Europe's zero-emissions schedule by 2030," Cucinella said.

The first cluster of dome-shaped houses was built in Massa Lombarda, near Ravenna, Italy, using multiple 3D printers operating at the same time. In its most basic form, houses can be built in as little as 200 hours. The 60 square meter prototype was built in layers without the need for framing. The house consists of two interconnected circular structures. Cucinella did not disclose construction costs. Inside the house has a living room, bathroom and bedroom, along with furniture such as tables and chairs that are also created with a 3D printer.

According to Cucinella, the advantage of the design is that if the carpet has a natural disaster, architects only need to use 3D printers to rebuild houses for displaced victims. The printer can also adjust the dome type according to the environment where the earthquake, tsunami or flood occurs.

"If I'm designing a house in a hot and humid climate, I need to protect the house well and make the walls thicker for ventilation," says Cucinella. He hopes to find a way to collect and filter rainwater for the house. The project was chosen as a pioneering example of zero-carbon construction at Build Better Now, the virtual exhibition at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.