Printing Imagination (and Homes!)
Sabeena Bubber • February 11, 2016
In a time when an ever increasing segment of society believes that proper housing should be a right and not a privilege, and in a world where variables such as human conflict and nature’s fury can wipe out established neighbourhoods in the blink of an eye, technology’s ability to speedily erect living spaces out of (literally) mounds of dirt is exciting, to say the least.
COST
Aside from the cost of building and transporting these large printers (which, at this point is substantial), the cost of building the home is limited: fewer labourers, fewer supplies to be shipped and stored, and the use of local, sustainable materials could lead to significant savings.
DESIGN INTRICACIES
Current construction/design engineering will soon be limited when compared to future computer based applications which are, as of this writing, being developed and tested. This is the power of technology at work. This is exciting.
CAVEAT
Now, it should be noted, at this point, that this field is still in its infancy. So there remains much to learn, and much to be done. Additionally, there are naysayers who remain firm in their position that, “this sort of fantasy will never become a reality”. To this we say, “it may be hard to be optimistic, to open up your imagination as you once did; but please try…just this once, for the rest of us.”
Printing houses. Seriously cool stuff.
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