Additive manufacturing has once again demonstrated its agility in the construction sector, this time in Singapore! The country recently opened a multi-story house with 3D printed walls. The project was called QR3D and it was designed by architectural firm Park + Associates and incorporates a sculptural void at its center. Built in collaboration with CES_InnovFab, the house is composed of over 90% 3D printed materials. It spans four floors and 570 square meters, a real feat for additive manufacturing.
3D concrete printing offers multiple advantages to the construction sector, and housing projects using this technology continue to multiply. This technique enables shorter construction times, reduced labor intensity, lower costs and the design of previously unattainable shapes. We haven’t yet reached the point where we see 3D concrete printers everywhere, but the future is very promising, and the construction industry has fully grasped onto this. In any case, the QR3D house in Singapore is undoubtedly the perfect example of what can be achieved.
One of the house’s bathrooms. (Credit: STUDIOWONGS)
The Interior of the QR3D House
This is a 570-square-meter house with seven rooms spread over four floors, designed for Lim Koon Park, founder and architect of Park + Associates. He explains: “While we were excited by the novelty of 3D printing, our aim was always to create a family home that would be relevant and respected decades from now. We commenced our design as if we would a conventionally-constructed house, we did have to spend more-than-usual resources modifying and developing the design to ensure it can be 3D printed.”
Part of the house was 3D printed on-site, and the team made sure to protect the machine from the elements and Singapore’s tropical climate. Other elements were created directly in the factory. The most striking feature of the QR3D house is the integration of an oculus, a round opening that runs through all four floors and gives the dining room a unique atmosphere. It serves both as a cooling system and as a real light well. This oculus is composed of different 3D printed bricks that were then assembled. This section in particular posed a significant challenge in the project due to its slope. The concrete tended to sag in some places, so the team preferred to create smaller components that could be easily assembled.
The oculus spans all four floors and provides light and cooling. (Credit, from left to right: STUDIOWONGS; Derek Swalwell; STUDIOWONGS)
The materials used can be classified as environmental, as most are recycled. In fact, this was a major concern for the architectural firm. They add: “While 3D-printing for construction in Singapore is certainly not new, it is mainly used for small-scale and utilitarian uses, such as feature walls, planter troughs, and prefabricated bathroom units for multi-residential projects.” This is the first 3D-printed multi-story house and clearly demonstrates how additive manufacturing can transform the urban landscape. Click HERE for more information and more photos of the project.
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*Cover Photo Credit: STUDIOWONGS