Construction On The World's First 3D-Printed House Is Underway In Amsterdam [PHOTOS]

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Canal House

DUS Architects

First paper, then food, now homes- printing sure has come a long way since the Gutenberg press.

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The city of Amsterdam will now have the distinct honor of being home to the world's first 3D-printed house.

Conceived of by Dutch DUS Architects, Canal House will have 13 rooms created by an oversized 3D printer called KamerMaker ("room builder").

The printer creates large bricks from layers of molten plastic, which builders can stack like Legos. The stacked plastic bricks will ultimately become the framework for each room, and will snap together to become the world's first 3D printed house.

Construction on the house has already started in the northern part of Amsterdam, and is projected to take three years.

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"The 3D Print Canal House is a unique project because it is a building site, a museum and a research facility in one," says Hans Vermeulen of DUS architects. "By 3D printing the first building block we celebrate the start of researching the possibilities of digital fabrication for the building industry."

Canal House model

DUS Architects

Mini models of the house and room sections

"We hope that in three years time the excitement of the visitors is still as fresh as today, and that the house has developed into a mature 3D printed building with different rooms, each with different constructions and material properties that all tell something about the time that they were printed," said Hedwig Heinsman of DUS.
Canal House opening day

DUS Architects

Visitors on the site's opening day

At the site, you can see 3D printed models as well as full-size versions that are printed '"live" by the KamerMaker. Visitors can also listen to an audio tour on their smart phone explaining the whole building process.

It has already turned into quite the tourist attraction - President Obama even stopped by in late March.

Check out more photos of the site and construction below:

Canal House sketches

DUS Architects

Sketches of the Canal House


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Canal House museum

DUS Architects

View inside the Canal House museum


Canal house model pieces

DUS Architects

Mini version of the KamerMaker and the 3D pieces


Canal House model piece

DUS Architects

Tourists sitting on a life-size model


Canal House overview

DUS Architects

Location of the site


Canal House night view

DUS Architects

A view of the site at night

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Canal House

DUS Architects

Rendering of Canal House on the water