Minnesota architect 3D prints 10-foot tall castle in backyard
An American designer has 3D printed a 10-foot tall castle in his backyard as a test for his formative plan to use the technique to one day mass produce houses.
The eccentric Andrey Rudenko pioneered a method, using a custom-designed 3D printer, to separately print components of his castle before assembling them in his garden.
The architect used a quick-drying mix of sand and concrete to create the castle one layer at a time
Each so-called brick layer was printed 10mm tall and 30mm wide in what would have been an excruciatingly painstaking building process.
The Minnesota based architect told 3DPrint.com that his production process will create higher quality houses than are currently on the market - and at a lower price.
Future projects will only need two specialised individuals: one computer-skilled coder to input the design blueprints into the 3D printer and a construction expert to erect a steel structure within the concrete to increase building strength.
Rudenko said: “A new era of architecture is inevitable, and I’m excited to see where the next few years will lead in terms of construction and design.
“I have previously been sure I could print homes, but having finished the castle, I now have proof that the technology is ready.”
Each castle structure, such as the towers and ramparts, is produced by the 3D printer then added to the build separately in a pop-up fashion.
Earlier this summer, online retailer Amazon introduced a customisable 3D print store offer consumers the chance to design jewellery and more products.