Collaboration develops first 3D-printed large-scale dwelling unit

Unlike other 3D-printed construction projects, the apartment building isn’t a proof of concept — it will be rented at market rates as soon as it's completed

Spotted: German and Danish construction companies have joined forces to build a 3D-printed three-story apartment building in the north-west of Munich. When completed, the building (located in a town called Wallenhausen) will have five separate apartments and total square footage of 4,090.

The project is a collaboration between PERI Group, a German supplier of formwork and scaffolding systems, and COBOD, a Danish company that makes modular 3D printers for construction. 

Unlike other 3D-printed construction projects, the apartment building isn’t a proof of concept or a demo. As a for-profit endeavour, the apartments will be rented at market rates as soon as they’re completed. COBOD envisions this being the first of many such buildings in Germany and elsewhere.

“By printing the first apartment building on-site, we are demonstrating that this new technology can also be used to print large-scale dwelling units,” says Thomas Imbacher, PERI’s director of innovation and marketing.

The printer used for the apartment building is called the BOD2, which COBOD claims is the fastest 3D construction printer on the market. However, BOD2 still requires two human operators to run it and also has cameras that constantly monitor its activity. BOD2 lays down one metre per second, whilst leaving space for plumbing and electrical pipes in the process. A cement mixture specifically for use in 3D printing is also used called “i.tech 3D.”

The printing process for the apartment building is expected to take six weeks.

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