This Pocket-Friendly Home In Kazakhstan Is 3D-Printed In Just Five Days

Designed by BM partners and 3D-printed using one of COBOD’s BOD2 models, this unnamed home in Almaty, Kazakhstan is deemed as Central Asia’s first 3D-printed house. The home is designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and seismic areas. It is irrefutable proof that 3D-printed homes can handle such challenging situations. And what’s even more interesting is that the home can be printed in five days, while also being cheaper than a conventional home.

Designer: BM Partners x COBOD

To print the walls of the home, the COBOD 3D printer ejected a cement-like mixture in multiple layers from a nozzle, much like typical 3D-printed architecture. But, a very strong cement-like mix was utilized, since Almaty has very strict seismic regulations. This mix can withstand extreme weather conditions and even an earthquake up to 7.0 on the Richter scale.

“To enhance the building’s structural integrity, BM Partners used a special strong concrete mix with a compression strength of almost 60 MPa (8,500 PSI), substantially exceeding the 7-10 MPa (1,015-1,450 PSI) typical of conventional brick and stone used in Kazakhstan,” said COBOD. “This mix, comprising locally sourced cement, sand, and gravel enhanced with the D.fab admixture, a joint development of COBOD International and Cemex, allows for customized concrete formulations tailored to regional needs. Considering Kazakhstan’s extreme climate conditions, varying from minus 57 to plus 49 degrees Celsius (minus 70.6 to plus 120 degrees Fahrenheit), the building incorporates expanded polystyrene concrete as insulation for the walls, enhancing both the thermal and acoustic performance of the wall.”

Once the cement-like mixture has been extruded, and the walls have been constructed, human builds add doors, windows, and furniture to the home. The whole process from the printer setup to the installation of the future takes around two months. The end result is an interior space with a floor area of 100 sq m, all located within on floor. The home has a simple and uncomplicated layout, amped with generous glazing, and a spacious living room. The home perfectly showcases the expansive capabilities of 3D-printed construction. The home is currently priced at roughly US$21,800 making it much cheaper than the cost of average local homes.