The First Permitted 3D-Printed Home Unveiled

Last month the first ever permitted 3D printed home in America was unveiled at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The project was the inception of the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand’s charitable partner New Story and their construction technology partner, ICON.

The 3D printer is expected to accomplish the following goals:

1. Significantly decrease the cost of building a home in the developing world. Currently, it costs $6,500 for New Story to build a home. The printer will significantly cut the cost to $4,000 a home with potential for it to continue to become more affordable.
2. Make home construction faster. Homes can be built in 12-24 hours with the printer.
3. Improve the quality of the final home.

A defining factor of this new technology is that it will be used first in the developing world, in El Salvador, for people who are currently living without shelter, a basic human need. The printer can fit on a truck so it’s easily transportable, it’s durable and it uses a mortar that can be found anywhere.

“We made the decision to partner with New Story in 2017 because we agree that the home is the epicenter of your life. New Story’s desire for continued innovation to drive change is remarkable,” says Lindsey Scharf, Director PR & Communications Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. “The launch of the 3D printer will make a huge impact in their mission to provide homes for families in the developing world and we are proud to be aligned with them in this venture.”

“We are incredibly proud to help advance New Story’s mission to transform people’s lives by providing the foundation of life, a home,” says John Passerini, Global VP Interactive Marketing, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. “Their innovative approach to not only building homes but entire communities has already made an incredible difference for so many people and with their introduction of a 3D printer, they will be able to streamline the process like nobody has ever done before.”

The 3D printer received significant media coverage including Architectural Digest, Fast Company, Wired, The Verge, PBS and BuzzFeed to name a few.

Take a closer look at the 3D printer in action

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