3D printed buildings presented in China's industrial park

A Chinese construction company brings a revolution to the global building and construction industry, introducing a pioneering building philosophy, based on recycled building materials and a giant 3D printer. Read more on this new building technique that promises drastic reductions in cost, building time and required labour! 

WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co, presented a series of buildings, created with a new innovative 3D printing technology in Jiangsu's industrial park. 

The building material consists of a mix of recycled construction waste, glass, steel and cement and is specifically formulated to be flexible, earthquake resistant and self-insulating. This combination of materials serves as the "ink" supplied to a 21ft tall, 32ft wide and 500ft long 3D printer, which lays the material in layers, until the formulation of the final structural component. The different building pieces are fabricated offsite, following a diagonal reinforced print pattern and then transferred and assembled onsite. Beam columns, steel rebars and additional insulation within the walls are also placed separately, while space is especially provided for installing pipelines, windows and doors. 

According to WinSun, this innovative technology may save up to 60% in materials, 70% in time and 80% in labour, compared to the traditional building practice. At the industrial park, the tallest building measures five storeys, while a single-storey home has already been pre-ordered by the Egyptian government.

Sources: DailyMail, 3dprint.com, Architecture&Design