Interesting time to be alive

[rubato]

This building was made by a 3-D printer in one day with what looks like a concrete-like material:



Amazing.

I am astonished how many things they have done with this. The realization that they could use this technology for any material which undergoes a phase transition reasonably quickly after it leaves the print head.has been key to making 3D printing commercially interesting. They've built metal bridges in situ by using a printer that melts and fuses the metal into a structure.

The other thing it does is to free building from the practice of assembling materials made into simple, generally rectilinear shapes and allows for 100 % organic shapes.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/This ... 980641.php

The addition of this, concretelike material and the metal printing that MX3D is using (they have said they will 'print' a metal bridge across one of the canals of Amsterdam later this year) really expands the scope. Imagine what it would look like if new public buildings could be as richly sculpted as a Gaudi building or a piece of art nouveau furniture. Furniture and cabinetry could be made in-place.

Interesting time to be alive.

[rubato]

http://www.nbcnews.com/mach/innovation/ ... nt-n730606

https://all3dp.com/best-3d-printed-house-building/




A lot of interesting designs. Some immediately grasp the freedom this gives in designing really interesting shapes while others use the technology to replicate conventional designs. Some use a hybrid approach where the pieces are made with a printer and then assembled or in a different way, a steel frame is constructed and then covered with concrete using a printer.


yrs,
rubato

[dales]

How is the plumbing and wiring installed?

(Assuming they have running water and electricity)

[BoSoxGal]

If you watch the video linked in rubato's OP, it shows the plumbing and electric incorporated in the printing.

I'd totally live in one of those, in a heartbeat. I've been researching tiny houses for a while now, as I realize it's a perfect setup for my needs should I ever want to live alone (with dog) again - but a lot of traditionally built tiny houses are still pretty expensive while this is super affordable.

I think where I am now the biggest obstacle is going to be finding land where it is not a zoning issue to have a tiny v. traditional sized house. I think they'll be the wave of an overpopulated future with so many singletons - but it's still newfangled at the moment.

[rubato]

This one is simply mind-blowing. It is a room and not a building per se but the textures and shapes are staggering.

http://www.digital-grotesque.com/concep ... =1&color=1

This is just a tiny part of the whole thing:





They use a type of sand stone and achieve surfaces which appear glazed.

yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

If you watch the video linked in rubato's OP, it shows the plumbing and electric incorporated in the printing.

I'd totally live in one of those, in a heartbeat. I've been researching tiny houses for a while now, as I realize it's a perfect setup for my needs should I ever want to live alone (with dog) again - but a lot of traditionally built tiny houses are still pretty expensive while this is super affordable.

I think where I am now the biggest obstacle is going to be finding land where it is not a zoning issue to have a tiny v. traditional sized house. I think they'll be the wave of an overpopulated future with so many singletons - but it's still newfangled at the moment.

The tiny house movement is fascinating. People are really doing some creative things in construction and design and a lot of them use recycled materials.

Very intelligent reaction to a housing market which is way overpriced and for many they get a house which is also beautiful. They also seem happier for it.


yrs,
rubato

[BoSoxGal]

I've seen some really amazing little homes built on the shell of a shipping container - those are cheap!

[rubato]

I've seen some really amazing little homes built on the shell of a shipping container - those are cheap!

And strong. Tied down to a foundation they would be earthquake, bear, hurricane or tornado-proof. And somewhat portable. You could put it next to a shop to do the conversion and then truck it to your site.

The prices ranged from $1,000 to $2200 for a 40ft one (300 sq feet)

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Welcome back my friend H R Geiger.

[Big RR]

I've seen some really amazing little homes built on the shell of a shipping container - those are cheap!

And strong. Tied down to a foundation they would be earthquake, bear, hurricane or tornado-proof. And somewhat portable. You could put it next to a shop to do the conversion and then truck it to your site.

The prices ranged from $1,000 to $2200 for a 40ft one (300 sq feet)

yrs,
rubato

330 Sq Ft? that would be a BIG NYC apartment.

[rubato]

One of my jobs was to design materials with new properties and back in the day I did some woodworking, metalworking, construction so I'm always interested in new or just improved building materials and techniques. I recent months I've turned up a number of youtube videos on the topic and it relates to the 3-d construction, although most are not as world-beating as that.

A UK company has started making concrete cloth, a fabric mesh embedded with concrete poowder which can be shaped in any way that cloth can be folded and then wetted so it hydrates into a permanent solid. It does not look like the technique has been fully developed; so far there are only a few applications. But the possibilities are great. One application is to make emergency shelters which can be set up in 1 day for $23,000 -30,000 and 50 sq meters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNHfKFDw0S8

This one is a bit long but the work is beautiful and revolutionary. Cloth is supported and tensioned and used to mould concrete into beams, pillars, and very organic shapes which use 30% less concrete (greener)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwxT0KmBw_A

Shorter video and related technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8a9kAwOCiY

They've also been doing a lot with changing the concrete itself; adding glass fiber, hemp, carbon fiber and foaming agents which produces concrete 'foam' which is much lighter, uses less materials, and due to all the air spaces, is a better insulator.

Very cool innovations.

yrs,
rubato