Printable 3D homes represent the latest wave in construction, but they’re not always cheap to build. Earlier this year, architectural startup Branch Technology developed a prototype of a 1,000-square-foot 3D home that would cost around $300,000 — a price that’s too high to be considered a solution to the global housing crisis . That’s all about to change thanks to a collaboration between New Story, a San Francisco-based housing nonprofit, and ICON, a construction technology company that designs 3D printers. In March, the companies unveiled the first permitted, 3D printed home in America: a 350-square-foot structure that costs around $10,000 and took just 48 hours to build. At the time, the printer — known as the Vulcan — was only running at 25% speed. This gives the companies confidence that they can build a 600- to 800-square-foot home in just 24 hours for a price tag of $4,000 or less. Prior to using 3D technology, it took New Story eight months to build 100 homes, which each cost around $6,000. While the initial test run took place in Austin, Texas, the companies plan to produce their first string of homes in El Salvador, a country whose rough terrain and […]
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