Wasp 3D-prints eco-homes from local raw earth for $1K

After years of creating machines to 3D print rubber, recycled plastics, clay, and geopolymers, the Italian start-up WASP created a 3D-Printer capable of printing a home for the marginal cost (which, they say, leans to 0) of the dirt.
In 2018, the team printed their first home in 10 days using local earth (30% clay, 40% silt, 30% sand), 40% chopped rice straw, 25% rice husk, and 10% lime. “Gaia” cost 900 euros (1,000 dollars) in materials for 30 meters of wall. The round-shaped structure relied on a wooden roof and beams for support.
Three years later, WASP printed an all-earth two-domed home dubbed TECLA (Technology + Clay) using two synchronized printing arms, which were programmed to pick, mix and pump materials into layers. At their headquarters in Massa Lombarda, Italy, it took 200 hours, 7000 machine codes, and 6kw of energy to print the 350 layers of clay.
WASP (World's Advanced Saving Project) is the brainchild of father-daughter team Massimo and Francesca Moretti. Launched in 2011 when Francesca, a designer, began tinkering with early 3D printers and introduced her electronic technician father to the tech.
Massimo, inspired by nature - and specifically the mason wasp which builds its own nest with material recovered from the surrounding environment - began designing a 3D printer capable of building houses with local, natural materials “at a cost tending to zero”.
In late 2021, WASP worked with fashion house Dior to print a pop-up store in Dubai covered in their signature Cannage motif (3D printed using clay, sand, and raw fibers). The same year, they used the Crane 3D printer to create the “livable sculpture” titled “House of Dust”; it took 50 hours of 3D printing, 500 G-codes, 165 15mm-layers, 15 kilometers of extrusion, and eight cubic meters of material to print the 16-square-meter habitable structure in Wiesbaden, Germany.
www.3dwasp.com...
On *faircompanies: faircompanies....

[@We-Do-NOT-Consent-303]

We used to have mud houses where I was growing up in Hungary 57 years ago. People built it by hand, not with machines. They had thick walls. You didn't need air conditioning in them. They were always cool on the inside in the Summer. And required very little heat in the winter. Because it was very well insulated. Very old ideas are coming back as new.

[@DreamingConcepts]

I remember watching my grandfather building one too when I was young. But I think he mixed straw inside it.

[@EvenStarLoveAnanda]

@@DreamingConcepts That is what we had when I was growing up in Hungary.

[@KlasseCaldiny]

Did the rain ever cause them damage, or not much?

[@noellalexander9527]

​@@KlasseCaldiny Mud homes are super sturdy. Concrete is essentially mud so think of it as being one solid brick.

[@EvenStarLoveAnanda]

@@KlasseCaldiny Not at all, they were better then brick houses. Because they didn't need air-conditioning and very low heat in the winter. They were perfectly insulated by 2-3 feet thick walls.

[@Bignena]

this is one of the best design videos that I've ever seen! this makes me so excited about our housing future and eco-friendly mindset. who is with me?!

[@matthews2018ify]

Im with you homie

[@jadesidhe2634]

Green cement is probably the most important thing in this video. That guy is single handedly saving the planet.

[@alexlavertyau]

Imagine if you scaled this up and built an automated 3D printed house-building machine that could travel along rail tracks and build houses 24/7 for people.

[@jimmysgameclips]

I didn't know WASP were doing so much with clay. I saw their printers at a 3D print show years ago and the printer design has always fascinated me

[@danielmconnolly7]

I didn't that wasps could build houses like this... 🙄

[@evalinawarne1337]

In MICHIGAN we need a different kind of roof for the heavy snow . This way the snow will fall off.

[@scofah]

I love how there's no background music behind your videos. So peaceful. Thank you for creating videos not polluted by crappy soundtracks.

[@dqmynator2.080]

THIS!! 100!! I usualy have my own music playing in the background - hate it when documentaries have music in it. Plus you HEAR much more of the environment ( in the video ) - MUUUCH BETTER - I also hate halfdubs where they layer german audio over english.

[@pooljunki1]

i love how they say it only cost $1000

[@Eyelash40]

The Dior house, ooohhh la la! All these homes are stunning! The fact that they are green is phenomenal and gives a lot of hope for the future.

[@jadeglouglou]

Amazing, so we do have people with workable, ingenious ideas, bright talents that can provide solutions to housing problems in a sustainable way, green way! The media needs to publicize more of this kind of news! Thank you Kirsten,

[@BradKittelTTH]

Absolutely amazing work, and with a giant amount of clay, silt, sandy soil on-site, giant rocks to cave under, the geopolymer is fascinating and soon to be part of Salvage, Texas too. So much incredible research that is giving us tools to create incredible spaces in the future. Thanks again Kirsten for another educational gem and giving people the attention and expansion of great ideas that will help create a better planet. Kudos!

[@JosephKulik2016]

Dear Brad: It's amazing for sure, but how practical is it ??? Can organic building materials like these endure a winter in Moscow or Minneapolis ??? This factory is in Italy, and there's the Dior buildings in Dubai, and you say that there's another such building going up in Texas, but these are all in mild climates. Also, these artistic folks don't talk like architects or structural engineers. This video says nothing about the load bearing capacity of those walls. I recently saw a video about "Hempcrete", building blocks made of hemp fiber and earth, but the narration there clearly stated that such organic building blocks have little capacity to bear a load, and in most cases can only be used as a facade over a construction of stronger material. Yet, at the end here they show a staircase, presumably for a 2nd story. I just don't see how this kind of organic material can bear the weight of it without some structural reinforcement inside. Clay bricks are made of organic material and they are both durable in all climates and can bear a substantial load too, but they are kiln baked. I don't want to be a party pooper but only a foolish consumer would invest time, money, and resources into a cutting edge building technology like this one without doing some heavy investigation about it first. "Caveat Emptor" ("Let the buyer beware") - an old Roman saying.

[@Highlander.7]

@@JosephKulik2016 Adobe and super Adobe are excellent building materials and structurally stable. earth sheltered buildings are highly thermally efficient and that is one of the main advantages. hemp Crete is not structural but is highly durable and can be used as an outer plaster layer to prevent erosion. there are many pros and cons to each and you need to apply it to your geography, climate and availability of materials.

[@jafinch78]

@@JosephKulik2016 Basically, great points, though each generation has to be inspired... each class of students, you know.... oh wait... we don't know. Oops... went wop sounding for a moment.

[@sun1one1]

@@JosephKulik2016 It doesn't need to endure a winter in Moscow or Minneapolis. We need to stop looking for single solution that works everywhere, for everyone. There is no such thing.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

@@sun1one1 You're right. But still ... this way of designing and building (3D printing) can be applied, with different materials, different constructions, in many different situations!

[@fatimataylor4011]

Incredible vision, design and results! I love that they saved their prototypes to archive the evolution of their designs. Another incredible video Kirsten! Thank you for what you do for humanity❤

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

So this is Cobb building that is done with a 3D printer. ( the home construction is Cobb if I understood her ) I love Cobb. I think it’s the most sustainable idea out there and it’s ancient and beautiful. The machine can certainly do it faster than a person. It would be nice to see it print something besides circular homes. Can’t wait to see how this company progresses.🐝❤️🤗

[@bonnieprice9482]

Hemp could be used as well.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@bonnieprice9482 yes it could🐝🤗❤️

[@stevenbarton5949]

call it what you want

[@alikigeorgiou8499]

I found this absolutely fascinating.... Not only are the houses ecologically made but they recycle water for the lakes they have alongside them for their mini-ecosystem. In particular, I LOVED how beautiful the end products are and how the possibilities for future projects and applications are endless. Lastly, I seriously WANT one of the Gaia houses!! 🥰 Brilliant company, brilliant ethic.

[@mrkozz1]

The best 3D system I’ve seen. Glad they are focused on using natural materials instead of concrete and polymers like other companies I’ve seen. Still not certain this is as revolutionary as they seem at first glance. How do multistory buildings work with this model? Also still tons of other work to be done to factually finish a home to make it comfortable and energy efficient. Don’t get me wrong, this looks amazing! Love the parametric design options.

[@emsnewssupkis6453]

You have to build a house inside of the 'house'. I have seen this for years and years: everyone who comes up with these 'solutions' end up being dropped because they are impractical or expensive. The 'walls' of these hives in the video have to have inside structures built if you need to have electricity or plumbing or comfort or cleanliness (the walls collect dust and dirt and spiders if they are not smooth, for example).

[@billburgess4720]

How cool your lives are to be able to take your family around the word to see and document the variety of construction techniques and ideas you are sharing....I don't know how much you are making as income, but it should be increased to the tenth power...EVERY time I find one of your features, the ideas and possibilities multiply...Thank you Dirksen family and especially you Kirsten....Probably never see any of this in the USA in my lifetime, but just knowing people are aware is really exciting....

[@TiktokBrandoniMacaroni]

Wow I might be actually able to buy my first home now with these crazy market prices it was unattainable but with projects like this it gives me hope!! Awesome video

[@nillehessy]

there are more options like binishells for example but a local government has to agree or won over that you can build them they're not gonna allow it everywhere

[@lisapezzella522]

@@nillehessy binishells?

[@tennesseetexan1957]

Wait until you see the price to build these. They’re not as inexpensive as you might believe.

[@kellymurphy4632]

@@tennesseetexan1957 That’s what I’d like to know.

[@TiktokBrandoniMacaroni]

@@tennesseetexan1957 yeah they said it costs them next to nothing to build lol but yet they over charge like crazy

[@gabrieltheokaris]

I am speechless with the amount of possibilities open for future achievements: speed with perfection of execution, beauty, elegance, variety of textures, recycling from nature, its simply creative art of architecture. Thank u Kirsten and team 😊

[@poopjeans1135]

Except it cannot endure the elements. So if you live somewhere OTHER than the desert, its a pipe dream.

[@cbryce9243]

@@poopjeans1135 If it turns into cement, I am sure it is strong.

[@BonetheStreetwearCreator]

You’re speechless about mud huts?

[@automateconstructionpodcast]

There is a crazy amount of innovation out there right now!

[@pooljunki1]

probably cost them 100k

[@Kuchenmischung]

Thank you so much for this video! I've been longing to get a more in-depth look of what WASP was doing, after hearing about them the first time a year ago or so. This is perfect.

[@SolsticeOnAnOdyssey]

Thank you Kirsten, I was first introduced to the idea of 3D printing a home in 2015 when I learned that eventually we can print the pipes and wires and makes some amazing organic forms. This is the first time I have seen a structure made with natural materials and no need to add a roof on top. Brilliant and so exciting.

[@a.l.a.7847]

I was agog with the simplicity, beauty and ingenuity of WASP's work. Kirsten, if you have not already done so, can you please explore if WASP's 3D printing can be/is being used to build Earthships? Many people like me dream of having an Earthship, but the sheer amount of physical labor in its construction is a huge barrier to making that dream a reality. It would be awesome to see your take on if/how/when these two could marry up and make a 3D-printable Earthship! Thanks for all the fantastic work you do. I share your videos compulsively...

[@cathleenwitt2790]

I live in a tiny house on wheels and I can see this tech working wonderfully for those, too! Perhaps not with earth or clay, but how simple to pull a prepped trailer into a bay, start the printer and BAM! house on the trailer! No need to move the printer or materials! Of course, I am delighted to see the possibilities with printing and sustainable applications! Wow!

[@treasurelu]

Wow! Amazing! I love the fact that the earth comes from the actual building plot and that a pond is created as a result! BRAVI!

[@lydiarowe491]

Where this is taking construction is limitless..creating what was not in the thought processes such a short time ago to anywhere that the 3D printer will take these incredible ideas..thanks for this one..

[@cristinacaroline]

Can't wait until this type of technology is truly available!! Was looking for information about them yesterday, and your video was incredible!!! Thank you!!

[@ZeoCyberG]

Already starting, the 2021 IRC update includes Appendix U for Cob Houses and Appendix AW for 3D printed homes... There's already a whole neighborhood in Texas of 3D printed homes...

[@TheDoracle]

@@ZeoCyberG That' doesn't mean they're available to the general public for purchase and use.

[@ZeoCyberG]

@@TheDoracle Actually, it does. They're all move in ready homes!!!

[@97itachiuchiha]

@@ZeoCyberG Can you share the name of this neighbourhood you're referring to?

[@Noukz37]

I remember few years ago researching on compressed earth blocks (CEBs), and 3D printing and thinking how cool it would be if the printers could work with earth and clay... I guess these guys were on it long before me XD

[@Magiaimelissa]

Amazing, I love that they’re thinking outside of just housing. I’d love to have one of those vertical veggie gardens

[@Devibaba]

I love seeing this integration of high technology and traditional building materials. 😁 Very exciting! Thanks for sharing.

[@stephenschultz9901]

I would love to see this done with hemp. I've seen houses built/sprayed with Hempcrete. How awesome would that be. Love your work!

[@loreforone924]

Hemp adobe structures would last forever 👍

[@cholst1]

She mentions in the video that just about any mix of local materials (water, clay/soil, fibre) including hemp will work. Also worth noting that if you live somewhere full of stinging nettles, they are a good hemp substitute.

[@KryssLaBryn]

@@cholst1 Hmm... Bet bamboo or kudzu would work well, as well, and both are *very* fast-growing! Might provide an economic opportunity for invasive kudzu to be harvested, and without having to worry about the sustainability of the fibre source, at that!

[@tomkelly8827]

Wow! that is a 3d printer I could get behind! I have built a couple straw bale houses and many conventional homes but clay has always had a special place in my heart. I am so glad to see clay being brought along into the future in this way. Also I just love the vibe at Wasp. it is so good!

[@helenmillar4532]

Oh wow, one of the most exciting profiles on a building style yet! Incredible potential, practical and so beautiful.

[@samwitz3215]

This is modern innovation at its most pure of heart. It offers that rare sense of hope for the future, where technology, conservation and affordability collide. Brilliant!

[@linedanzer4302]

Just wow! *Kirsten Dirksen* thank you for introducing me to such unique and innovative building ideas. *Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 2022 from me and mine to you and yours!*

[@lynnesteele9682]

Thank you so very much for this video article. I loved it and find is so inspiring. I hope many people will help WASP continue their marvelous work!!! Bravi tutti!

[@MBMCincy63]

Your tours are always educational! I am so thrilled to learn of this. I had just read an article about a 3D print home from Habitat for Humanity in Virginia. Impressed 👍. This company is very artistic as well as environmentally thinking. Wonderful. Thank you.

[@PeyaLuna]

houses aside, i also love the art pieces....if you ever run out of money making all those experiments, you should totally sell them - i´d buy a few in a heartbeat!

[@fudogwhisperer3590]

I really like the 2 room dome house they made. Looks very cool!

[@tennesseetexan1957]

Just pray it doesn’t rain!

[@cherrypie824]

What they do is connected directly to enjoyable experiments. I wish I might get a job like this or start a project like this. They definitely proceed faster and consistently, no dought. No way to get out of this project.

[@Transportia]

Thank you, Kirsten and Nicolás! The body of work you have created together keeps inspiring and teaching us. This particular technology will need to be developed in a way that the construction industry is willing and able to use so that entire developments can be made, not just individual bespoke buildings. But I certainly want a Gaia house right now!

[@drillbabydrill25-d6p]

If your waiting for construction industry you will wait many many years. They would have no interest in this low cost model. What you would need is environmental groups to launch these projects that would be incentivized by Government similar to what we seeing with electric bikes.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Wow this is by far one of the best use of Technology in home building I have seen. Thank you for showing this.

[@garliclasagna]

I love how she called her dad over... loved this! so inspiring and gives me hope for the future... some...

[@lagringa7518]

I love the texture they've created with the house and the off center skylight.... interesting that these are far more artistic than what they're doing in the States with 3D printers. Bravi!

[@michellelockert1507]

I have seen so many of your videos and I think this may be put in my top 5 favorites! Stunning.

[@petergambier]

Fascinating stuff Kirsten. Printing with art, a great concept with your amazing set-up. It was interesting to see the first printers you made and all the smaller items like the clay heads and all printed in mud. Awesome thanks. I started lime plastering in about 1997 and haven't been out of work since, I also parget and make quoins from lime putty mortars and like to slake my own quicklime. All my work is by word of mouth, I don't advertise apart from 4 stickers on my 2001 Berlingo with an Astroturf bonnet and I like going to work each day. The future is your Wasp, carbon nano-tubes, graphene and geopolymer concrete.

[@ProlificInvention]

They have a material called aircrete that many DIY people are using which is essentially Portland cement mix with soapy water that's been turned into shaving cream consistency with a device that uses compressed air. What happens is this foam is mixed in very well into and it makes it filled with billions of cell sized air pockets so it dries/cures fast and extremely light-you multiply it's volume. It's a great insulator and even floats and repels water intrusion better than regular concrete. I wonder if this process could be used to modify some earth based mixes, if not it may still be an optional material you could 3d print structures with, perhaps inner walls for insulation purposes.

[@Jack-ne8vm]

Manufacturing Portland cement creates lots of CO2 & uses lots of energy. I think WASP is trying to avoid that.

[@ProlificInvention]

@@Jack-ne8vm That is true and it's a great mission and idea. Mine was to perhaps incorporate the foam to see if it has the quick curing effects on the earth based materials as it can be made with biodegradable soaps and just is used in place of water. It would be at the least an interesting material. You are absolutely correct on the manufacture of cement, aircrete does however reduce its impact somewhat by providing multiples of volumes, and compared to other fireproof building and insulation materials it may (and likely is) less taxing on the environment in some cases, especially in the long term when disposal of organic and manufactured products is factored in. Concrete and aircrete are 100% recyclable and often are.

[@snockdawg82]

Hemp air crete

[@TinyGiantLifeStyle]

We build AirCrete buildings and have made a cement soil AirCrete. Soil AirCrete is a very soft product not suitable as a load bearing. AirCrete is very liquid and 3d printing would require an additive to rapid set the cement and perhaps a thickener. The printing would be very very slow. Cement is burned limestone. All these people complain about C0² but the truth is fast growing poplar tree can absorb as much carbon, no problem. Further, running an air-conditioning unit or driving to work produces so many tons more co² than a cement house that the house is insignificant, really.

[@Bob_Adkins]

@@TinyGiantLifeStyleYeah, if someone is worried about CO2, they can plant a tree at the time they build. I think a chicken produces more CO2 over its lifetime than building a large concrete home.

[@JA-ManyLights4444]

I am highly impressed. I would LOVE to live in one . Just one bedroom big enough for king bed with a divider wall ,with a arched entrance. Living room, kitchen, dinning as a main one room with a small fire place, build in shelfs , instead of stairs . One floor with a bathroom in-between the bedroom and main living area. love this made me dream of one ..Thank you.. 5 * very cool and Classy ego friendly Home.

[@tinathene]

Wonderful exploration of technology! The domes are beautiful! I dreamt of a rounded house made of yellowish cubes which I thought were stone… perhaps they could be printed cubes as were shown here! 😍🤯☺️ Thank you, Kirsten and Mr. for showing us this great work! Buon Natale!

[@Korina42]

Have you ever seen a cob house? Or compressed earth? Or an Earthship? Humans are quite ingenious when we want to be.

[@catey62]

Perhaps you were thinking of a straw bale house when you dreamt of a house made with yellowish cubes? if I was able to I'd love a straw bale home myself.

[@markterrano7659]

I have such an appreciation for the work you do sourcing interesting cutting edge housing technologies and builders for your channel - really high quality stuff.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

Dior used some slabs that looked like this in their display windows in SF not long ago. I almost went in to ask about them. Thanks for showing me what probably no one in the store would have known.

[@seek2find]

Thank you Kirsten!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[@nathalierichcreek5460]

This is a wonderful way to create homes anywhere in the world quickly using organic materials

[@chrisray1567]

This company is amazing. Their technological prowess is only outdone by their beautiful and innovative designs. Those stairs! 😍

[@judeirwin2222]

Without a rail or outer barrier, those stairs could be lethal.

[@jP-gd4bq]

@@judeirwin2222 It‘ just a proof of concept. Anyone could add any type of rail or stair treads they desire. Nothing dangerous to see here…

[@alexcarter8807]

Long ago in England one traditional house type was called wattle-and-daub. Wattle referred to weaving the house out of saplings, vines, etc. and daub referred to covering that structure with mud. No complicated machines required.

[@jeffreypierson2064]

Daub is not just mud. It is a mixture of mud, animal dung, and straw.

[@comfortablynumb9342]

The little pond would be awesome for an aquaponics system and wicking bed setup for automatic watering and organic veggies in a small space.

[@jonj4419]

Love this one. Can't wait to see more green designs implemented into our cities and homes.

[@sherriscook3674]

Wow what a great concept…not just taking from the Earth but giving back as well!!!

[@ragemodels]

Madonna was Right : "ITALIANS do it better". Love the Harmonius Blending of tech with sustainability along with a whole lot of art thrown in for good measure !!! BRAVI 👏👏👏🇮🇹👏👏👏

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

What a sweet young woman! Very sympathetic, pretty and wise. I particularly liked her statement: "…way to create vegetables instead of eating animals". A thumbs up on that statement alone! As for the houses, I like the Dior design most. Quite lovely.

[@megaswenson]

I was worried about the acoustics of the domed structure, since it's interior is concave in shape. However, the reeded texture made by the printer, introduces convex surfaces on a small scale - much like the reeding that Sir John Soane applied to the pendentive dome at (if I remember correctly) the Bank of England. Soane did so, specifically with the intent of eliminating the 'Sound Creep' which plagues domes (even very small ones). And it works. Too, since bisque ceramic is acoustically superior to the more vitreous kinds fired at higher temperatures, I'd suspect that unfired clay would be even better, in respect to sound damping, than bisque. Thank you for this reassuring imagery. The clay honeycombs appeal to my psyche as being benign and hopeful - an antidote to the very disturbing events of recent months: they're something nice to think about, as I'm going to sleep.

[@HalfHalfLife]

Thanks for taking the time to do this and raise awareness. And love the energy in the comment thread.

[@SuzanneWho]

I love the dome structure! Beautiful.

[@makteko]

Yes, it looks like the African traditional houses.

[@jenniferlambert3886]

“It’s a mix of art and industry here.” It is! Very nice. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@emberchord]

So much innovation, so much creativity. It makes me believe that we might still turn the ship around

[@wendy9937]

The possibilities are amazing! I love the glimpse of the idea of having an open work shell over your house! You could climb on it and grow edible plants and those plants would be extra insulation.....I love using the materials that are on site. I would love to see more of this kind of content! Subscribed.

[@benbrown8258]

This is as close to tears a housing method, a building method has brought me. I have prayed we get around to figuring out how to use soil and reasonably naturally insulate it with 3-D technique. Plus, a rainwater garden, vertical garden and beehive - its miraculous as far as I can tell. Next, can it be made up or beyond Passivehaus standards?

[@JtheRay]

Wait until you discover adobe buildings. It's been blowing people's minds for over 5k years .

[@alterego157]

It's a mud house that probably costs an arm and a leg. Wood is still doing all structural support. The foundation / floor is done as for any other house. So basically the only thing it brings to the table is unique shapes and aesthetics.

[@g-r-a-e-m-e-]

@@alterego157 but very cool, with much potential.

[@nocapbussin]

Really? So they are using Rice and other grains for insulation... What happens when a live seed starts sprouting through a wall. That would bring me to tears too. Knowing I paid for an overpriced mud hut that has structural integrity issues

[@ramsaybolton9151]

@@JtheRay they only work in dry climates.

[@agentbey]

The design, engineering and execution is stellar. I rather see more 3D printer houses than EVs.

[@Mr._Ramos]

This could be the beginning of killing the 30 year mortgage banking system

[@Good-DaySunshine]

That's what we thought about Tiny Houses. Then the prices got jacked up, some to conventional home prices. Why can't we have good idea products that save ppl money without selfish 'big money' stepping in? (I'm referring to the USA).

[@ulrikekrekeler287]

Wow, this is awesome, natural materials work so well with indirect lighting, other elements, you can really feel the house, the structure/grain, everything works together, light, stone, wood, airflow, water, only fire is missing. I bet the houses would look really good with a fire place.

[@emrazum]

This was too short, I want like an hour+ long tour of their factory after watching this

[@laulaja-7186]

Technical question on the write-up section... kw is a unit of power, but it says "6kw of energy was used". So was it 6kw of power (as limited by the breaker panel), or 6kwh of energy (as measured by the power company's meter)? Either way, I want one! Just as soon as they become legal.

[@AkiraBergman]

I suppose the deforming and collapsing when 3D printing using mud, could be addressed by adding plaster dust to the mix, since plaster sets quicker. 10% could be a good amount. In Turkey the mud-plaster bricks are called Alker standing for ALçı+KERpiç.

[@RobertFletcherOBE]

this sounds allot better than having a house that dissolves in the rain

[@moemuggy4971]

A Building permit and inspection alone would cost you more than a $1000 in America. Then there's the foundation, plumbing, electrical, materials, tools and labor. Not to mention taxes. Realistically you can do this for around $50,000 if you own the land.

[@ImRecluse1]

Thank you for recycling plastic! A few others are building homes that are amazing and advancing daily. Please continue your wonderful ecological use of earth and recycling materials that may very well place our world on a human to earth balance! The cost could change millions of lives for the better future they deserve✌❤

[@emsnewssupkis6453]

Does it occur to any 'eco' freak that TREES are better? They grow from tiny seeds and forests can be replenished this way, via seeds. Trees have life cycles and harvesting trees encourages more trees to grow, too. Unlike mud, trees also produce oxygen. And walls made from trees are WARM in winter unlike cement or mud walls that transmit cold. I grew up in Arizona so we had an adobe ranch with cool mud brick walls of the old sort. But this wasn't warm in winter! My NY house is nearly 100% wood and is in the woods, too. The beams came from trees in my woods which I harvested.

[@newolde1]

​@@emsnewssupkis6453what a narrow misguided perspective. Building with earth is much less energy and resources intensive than commercial forestry, harvesting & processing lumber. Especially when we're talking at scale. And it is typically able to be hyperlocally sourced, if not from the very land it is being built on, unlike timber, unless you happen to be building in a forest. An uninsulated all wood house would be no warmer than a uninsulated earthen house, they both will suffer from thermal bridging. However, at least a uninsulated thick solid-walled earthen home has the benefit of thermal mass. Alas, this is exactly why they have infilled the walls with insulative material here. As for longevity, earthen homes can last hundreds if not thousands of years. Timber homes are susceptible to rot and fire and typically last around a hundred if well built, similar to concrete buildings. Structurally, earthen homes are much much stronger (and fyi wood is an extremely inconsistent building material), require less metal, no concrete.. I could go much further down the list, but I hope this is enough to get the point across. Granted there is no universal perfect building method for all environs, but earth is likely one of, if not the most universal. Please do some actual research before you spout lofty claims of omnipotence.

[@CharIieStar]

Congratulations on such an amazing, successful project! I absolutely love the rain water being able to fill the small lake that comes with it. It's perfect in my opinion, the cost and how it uses natural materials it wonderful. 😊

[@mgsee]

Great stuff! Love the organic shapes of the structures also - it's like a traditional mud hut made with the latest technology.

[@EveLord-hx1me]

Bangladesh already have these in flood Island villages... They Just built them with their bare hands using local flooded grey mud + rice heystack + bamboo weave ....

[@AllscottyD]

This was exciting to watch. Lots of innovation going on here. Exciting to imagine new possibilities with these technology advancements

[@max_mittler]

I'm blown away, it just kept getting better and better. I can't wait until this technology reaches consumer markets. I would commission a house/structure so quickly. and I really want one of those vertical planters they show at the end :)

[@chrisbgifford7387]

A most sophisticated adobe home. Love this tech for clay!

[@Dakiniwoman]

The concept and the result are truly beautiful and with great artistry. I find the dome design very appealing to me, personally. I hope this can be implemented in many places all over the World. It is like traditional cobb building, but with a printer it is quite amazing.

[@johnlee7085]

Love your videos. Have watched dozens of not hundreds. I think this is my favorite. It would be interesting to see what needs to happen to pass building codes. Ultimately, that is the crucial piece that is commonly overlooked. If it’s not habitable, it’s just art. Love that they are pushing the frontier.

[@jackiesilveira5918]

That’s great you’re using natural Gaia for the materials, I will be doing this as well, I will have hemp farms , with this string adhesive, it would make these homes strong and beautiful, Mother Gaia loves us all and she wants us to stay close to her in the Earth.☺️

[@lindamon5101]

How does it hold up to high winds& why not bury it partially? Excellent work!

[@JMSobie]

Stellar work! The cold-mix geopolymers strike me as very similar to the pozzolanic cements known to the Romans centuries before and used to good effect in the Pantheon. The beauty of pozzolan being that all the highly pollutive thermal conversion already happened....long ago...in a volcano.

[@petekooshian5595]

This is super cool. I wonder if it's like adobe and wouldn't hold up to serious humidity and freeze-thaw cycles of places like Michigan? Being into permaculture, where I dig holes and place ponds is EXTREMELY important so I'd want to be very very careful with where I put one for sure.

[@boomieboo]

That's so cool! Not only are the homes cheap and sustainable. But they also look great. Thanks for sharing this!

[@Wolfeslad]

This is so amazing! We need more of this lady 🔥💚

[@jennifertharp659]

These are beautiful and the design explorations, including studying bee psychology, are a wonderful way to move about in the world. I hope to live in something of this beauty and integrity in my future. Bravo! Please keep up the great work!

[@MrLeighman]

I am very impressed by the work they have done. I hope this catches on and more people use these methods.

[@loreforone924]

Well, lumber is very expensive now. Adobe structures last a long time.

[@marcellinechoisne5627]

i like it so much! the "Korben " in clay (8. 20)is fantastic! the homes look like a nest, inside, like very comfortable..bravo!

[@kaetischmalenberg222]

This is so cool! I can think of many applications for building homes. I would think these would work where hurricanes or cyclones are common. Flat sided houses act as sails and don’t handle high winds well. These would do much better as the winds would flow around them.

[@anita.b]

airflow aside, the cannot handle air pressure as the material itself is brittle.

[@Grannynan]

I would expect the walls to be very strong due to the wall design with triangular reinforcement. I live in Florida and this looks like a solution for insulating homes, as well as building a storm safe home. I am also attracted to the coziness of the size. Maybe the time for McMansions is coming to an end.

[@loochan-o7174]

I'm amazed, I'm so happy this is happening in my country. Something to be proud of. Thank you!!

[@Juke172]

Already heard of these 3D-printed houses in 2015 or earlier. Why there's no bigger adoption of this technology? It's more cost effective for sure than using cheap labor that takes long and makes mistakes on the way.

[@carlwatts1230]

I would guess regulations play a big role in obstructing innovative construction techniques and house designs

[@Juke172]

@@carlwatts1230 yeah that's true, especially in any developed countries. Kinda sad sometimes things take so long to get adopted. At least it's good that new things are tried out.

[@Juke172]

@@carlwatts1230 of course regulations are there to keep us safe too. So no bad designs get through and people don't have to get hurt physically, mentally or financially later on.

[@carlwatts1230]

@@Juke172 @Juke @Juke i dont think it is very safeto take on 35 years worth of debt either but i hear you :p i do believe that some of these designs and construction techniques are actually perfectly safe and even safer than existing structures but the law does not recognize it and disallows it by default, or uses standards which make no sense relative to the new techniques (some amusing examples of this can be found in the history of the transition from horses to cars). If there is no push to adapt safety regulations there may be little hope for change considering that (apart from the usual inertia) a whole industry may get disrupted if the new techniques are allowed to compete on an even playing field. They may exercise some resistance which may not be overcome if there is no pressure from the population to make regulations actually about safety, which may mean crafting new regulation or adapting existing regulation which is work which doesnt happen if someone or some group does not make it happen. Any political parties running on a platform to craft safety requirements and other regulation tailored to 3d printing industry?

[@loreforone924]

Clay with straw is adobe. Adobe is a common building material in New Mexico. It lasts a long time, very durable.

[@squirrelness]

You have such a fascinating channel!

[@SnoriSnorison]

Rock On, You Guys! This traditional "COB" building material, created by mechanical means, could revolutionize the Green Building Movement! 💖

[@Uap-i3o]

This lady is very talented

[@mikebennett1193]

I LOVE IT!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO LEARN MORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR POSITIVE IDEAS AND ENERGY, PLANET EARTH THANKS YOU TOO!

[@lauriemorris9175]

Brilliant. Thank you, Kirsten, for bringing this to your viewers. How do you find these things?! Keep up the good work.

[@christendenise220]

This is absolutely amazing! Wish America had their crap together to fully adopt this beautiful sustainable technology to create affordable housing options for all.

[@josepheaton5881]

It’s amazing how technology has advanced to the point where we can start building affordable homes for those who need it so desperately I love your KZbin channel keep up the great work

[@guachingman]

those Dior bums in dubai ;)

[@emsnewssupkis6453]

These are NOT 'affordable' at all!!! Look, you have to import an entire 'factory' to the building site and have a huge tent over it!!! Lots of sophisticated machines! It is NOT 'cheap' at all.

[@reforest4fertility]

Thank you, Kirsten, for your diversity of wonderfully informative & for the non-schlocky shock of the new here. One point you could extend to those WASP folks to help, not just sell, but to inform why use round buildings, because they allow the air to circulate. Yeah, it's like you need a circle to circulate. In the usual box shape we're housed in, as if commodified, the corners combined with right angles along where walls meet ceiling & floor, stalls the flow, creating dead air spaces. This I learned from the Washington State mycologist, Paul Stamets, who may be helpful to them further. I would almost wager he likes that type of thing, shrug.