The 3D Studio 2030 is an 80-square-meter house built to inspire and encourage new and efficient building techniques in Saudi Arabia. It illustrates the potential for creating affordable housing with 3D concrete printing.
The challenge
CyBe Construction was asked by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Housing to design, engineer, and build an affordable 80-square-meter house to encourage new and efficient building techniques in Saudi Arabia. The project was an answer to the ambitious goal set by Saudi Arabia to build 1.5 million houses using innovative technologies such as 3D concrete printing and fast-brick robotics before 2030.
The design
This single-bedroom house was built on-site in the Saudi Arabian desert. Its 27 walls and 21 parapets were printed in one week, after which the windows, doors, and electrical sockets were installed. The house was intended to be the first of many structures built using technologies such as 3D concrete printing. In addition to 3D printing the house, CyBe educated local print operators to ensure the safe operation of the 3D concrete printer in the next phase of the large project.
The takeaways
Thanks to this development, CyBe’s knowledge of creating affordable housing concepts increased exponentially. The entire project was completed in five weeks — a true testament to the efficiency of 3D concrete printing. This shorter timeline and precise use of materials significantly reduced building costs. The team also implemented their previous experience building the R&Drone Laboratory in the United Arab Emirates to manage the environmental specifications for this project’s building process.
