housing nonprofit new story has revealed the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood currently under construction in southern mexico. the project, which was created in partnership with icon and échale, has successfully printed its first few houses using a giant 33-foot-long 3D printer.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

images courtesy of new story

 

 

each 500-square-foot, single-storey house has been finished with roofs, windows, and interiors, and is part of a new 3D-printed neighborhood that will include 50 homes once completed. located in tabasco, the project is part of new story‘s experimentation into construction processes that could help offer affordable housing for the poorest communities in the world.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

founded under this guiding principle in 2014, new story has since built more than 2,700 homes in haiti, el salvador, bolivia, and mexico. responding to disasters with traditional construction, it recognized that new technology could help it work more effectively, so partnered with construction tech company icon in 2017 to develop a 3D printer strong enough to work in challenging conditions.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

in 2018, new story unveiled its first prototype model before joining forces with yves béhar‘s design firm fuseproject on an ambitious plan to build a community in latin america. implementing that plan elsewhere, the non-profit has revealed what it calls the world’s first 3D-printed community in rural mexico.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

in tabasco, two homes have been finished using icon’s vulcan ii printer to extrude cement from a nozzle layer by layer until the basic structure is complete. it takes about 24 hours to complete the walls before human builders add roofs, windows, and doors. the families chosen to live in them will receive them at a zero interest, zero profit mortgage costing around 400 mexican pesos (about us$20 per month), which will run for seven years.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

‘the 3D printer for homes, called the vulcan II, is designed to work under the constraints that are common in rural locations, but the journey has not been easy,’ says new story. ‘power can be unpredictable and local rainfall has often flooded access roads to the construction site. this printer, designed to tackle housing shortages for vulnerable populations, is the first of its kind.’

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

inside, the interior is divided into two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. each home comes with electrical and water hookups also includes a small porch area for dining outside.

 

through partnership with the local government, the 3D printed community is to be part of a larger community plan for the overall municipal area. the families will have access to green spaces, parks, community amenities, and basic utilities through this master plan provided by the local government.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

 

through new story’s partnership with the local government, families were invited to speak into the master plan for the area. new story expects that the remaining 48 homes will be filled with families by next year.

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern mexico has its first houses

 

project info:

 

project: 3D-printed neighborhood

location: tabasco, southeastern mexico

organization: new story

collaborator: icon