The World’s First 3D Printed Community

Sunday 19th of January 2020

The World’s First 3D Printed Community

Mexico’s Échale and US-based New Story, both charities, teamed up with tech company ICON to scale the size of 3D printing by producing durable, low-cost housing for some of the poorest communities in Mexico’s Tabasco state.

On 1st January, they printed 2 out of the planned 50 houses that will make up the development. Each one will measure 46 square meters, will have curved walls, and ample spaces to facilitate good ventilation in a particularly muggy part of the country.

Each house takes about 24 hours to make, so one might expect that such expediency would come with a hefty price tag. But both parties have negotiated to pay between 20 to 30 percent of each family’s salary to cover at least a few of the costs, which is just over US$20 a month.