College students create 3D-printed house with stunning interior that only costs $250,000

Published on Oct 20, 2023 at 2:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Andie Reeves

Last updated on Oct 20, 2023 at 6:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

A group of students have printed the ultimate piece of homework.

When student housing is mentioned, it usually conjures up images of empty pizza boxes, messy dorms and wild frat parties.

But the architecture students at Woodbury University are changing that.

They’ve used 3D printing technology to create a totally sustainable house, complete with a deck and spacious shower.

And it looks like it’s worth way more than it costs.

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3D-printed houses have been popping up all over the world.

NASA even has plans to 3D print homes on the moon.

Now these students are making history, printing the first home in Los Angeles.

Woodbury University prides itself on giving its learners hands-on experience.

And, when studying architecture, what could be more hands-on than making a functional home?

Everything from designing the house to getting planning permission from the government was done by students.

This building began as an entry into a competition.

The students designed it with hopes that this method could be used to address the homeless crisis.

Named the Solar Futures House, the students got a grant of $50,000 to get the project started.

The entire build from design to completion took the young adults just 15 months.

Perhaps most surprisingly, the printing was the quickest part.

First, they plotted out their curved three-room design on the ground.

Then Emergent 3D used its massive 3D printer to ‘print’ layers of concrete.

Left unpainted, the lines of each layer are visible.

This both gives the home a modern, Brutalist look and serves as a stylish reminder of how it was made.

3D printing makes it easier to create unique shapes, so the students opted for a rounded, organic layout.

Solar Futures Home has a large bathroom, a living area and a front porch.

The aim was to create a sustainable structure that runs off renewable energy.

“This generation is uniquely passionate about finding solutions to those problems,” Woodbury Univeristy stated.

“Our job is to help give them tools to do that.”

When the $50,000 funding ran out, the university helped them to secure more.

In total this building cost about $250,000.

With the average home in Los Angeles costing around $1 million, that’s quite a feat.

The Solar Futures Home has two roofs with solar panels on them, sloped to maximize sun exposure.

Combined, these panels make this a net-positive structure: it actually produces more electricity than it consumes.

The shower water is also repurposed to flush the toilet.

For now, the Solar Futures Home will be used as a teaching tool and potentially a home for students in need.

Once completed, IKEA offered to fully furnish the home.

Because what’s a college residence without some IKEA furniture?

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Andie is a content writer from South Africa with a background in broadcasting and journalism. Starting her career in the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Andie has a broad portfolio, covering everything from sustainability solutions to celebrity car collections. When not at her laptop Andie can be found sewing, recording her podcast, taking board games too seriously or road-tripping in her bright green Kia.