This Tiny Home Was 3D Printed in Half a Day For Less Than $2,000

SQ3D just 3D printed an entire home in less than 12 hours—and the process used about as much current as a standard hair dryer.

3D printing is changing the future of the automotive, medical, and design industries—and now New York–based S-Squared 3D Printers Inc. (SQ3D) has printed an entire 500-square-foot house in less than a day. SQ3D can produce a single home in about 12 hours for less than $2,000 from start to finish—and the sustainably built prototype kicks off the company's foray into affordable housing.

SQ3D printed a home in Patchogue, New York, in less than 12 hours using relatively little energy compared to traditional construction methods. The prototype's design may leave a lot to be desired, but it's a leap in the right direction for affordable and sustainable housing.

SQ3D printed a home in Patchogue, New York, in less than 12 hours using relatively little energy compared to traditional construction methods. The prototype's design may leave a lot to be desired, but it's a leap in the right direction for affordable and sustainable housing.

SQ3D’s patent-pending Autonomous Robotic Construction System (ARCS) runs multiple machines back and forth along giant metal scaffolding to build homes from scratch. The entire process runs autonomously, and it requires less man power than traditional construction, challenging conventional methods.

"We are in a new age of construction safety and cost efficiency with this revolutionary 3D printing machine," says the company, which spent years developing the technology.

A before photo shows the job site where printing took place. The metal scaffolding is part of SQ3D’s patent-pending ARCS technology, which took years to develop.

A before photo shows the job site where printing took place. The metal scaffolding is part of SQ3D’s patent-pending ARCS technology, which took years to develop.

This isn't the first of its kind—ICON and New Story unveiled a printed home in Austin, Texas, in March 2018—but SQ3D’s scaled-up version opens possibilities beyond just affordable housing. "The company’s executive committee looks forward to expanding the projects from 500 square feet to more than one-million-square-foot builds," they say. 

Though it's not the most stylish looking—or even the most livable—home design, by simply proving they could print one, SQ3D can now run with the ball. They plan to create thousands of sustainable and affordable homes each year. 

Related Reading:

The World’s First 3D-Printed Village Is Coming to Latin America This Summer 

Will 3D Printing Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis?

Duncan Nielsen
News Editor
Duncan Nielsen is the News Editor at Dwell. Share tips or just say “hi” at duncan at dwell dot com.

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