In the Luxembourg municipality of Niederanven, the country’s first printed house was built. Its ‘construction’ took just one week. It is a pilot developed by Coral Construction Technologies, a division of ICE Industrial Services, in collaboration with ODA Architects. The project is investigating whether advanced construction methods will create robust and affordable housing in less time than the traditional house-building process.
Small plots of land as an untapped resource
Luxembourg is facing a clear shortage of housing. Annual demand is estimated at around 7,000 new dwellings, while less than half of this number is actually being built. Only a small percentage are limited-price developments available to the wider population. Many municipalities are looking at the residual plots within the development. These are usually considered too narrow or of too unusual a shape to accommodate a full-fledged house. The Tiny House LUX project therefore raises the question of the feasibility of using such sites for small, well-designed buildings for people who want to stay in their neighbourhood.
The printed house – an idea born locally
The initiative came from Bujar Hasani of ODA Architects, who, together with the Niederanven authorities, was looking for a way to create small houses that comply with national requirements for construction and energy consumption. The team decided that concrete 3D printing would work best in such a limited space. The aim of the project was to produce a sustainable and energy-efficient building of classic building standards, built at an express pace.
From design to installation on the plot
ICE Industrial Services, or more precisely their Coral Construction Technologies division specialising in construction automation, was invited to realise the house. The company translated the architectural model into a digital file containing the data needed by the printing robots. The first prototype stood on a narrow, oblong piece of land 3.5 m wide and 17.7 m long. The usable area of the house is 47 sq m. The interior layout is based on a clear axis leading the eye along the entire length of the building, making the small space appear more open.
The construction brought two important debuts on the Luxembourg market. For the first time, a residential building was printed using locally available aggregates. It was also the first time that a wooden platform with screw foundations was used instead of traditional concrete footings. This method of foundation reduces the weight of the entire building and limits the amount of earthworks. The printing was done with a mobile Coral unit, using standard concrete from a local plant. Few systems in the world are able to work with such material without having to import special mixes. The printing itself took about a week, while full realisation with finishing closed in four weeks.
The technology allows details to be formed during printing. In this case, the details created included a shower recess and a space for a concealed rack, which reduced the installation time of the fixtures and eliminated the need to forge walls.
The printed house – materials and efficiency
The superstructure consists of wood and mineral elements without synthetic additives. The wooden base and the low weight of the roof make it easy to dismantle the building in the future. The printing process itself allows only the amount of material that is actually needed to be introduced, reducing the environmental footprint. Energy for the house is provided by photovoltaic panels. Underfloor heating based on heating films was also used here. South-facing window and door openings improve the energy balance in the colder months.
Realistic usage and conclusions for the municipalities
Tiny House LUX has a residential and a research function. The municipality is supporting the project to see how such a methodology works on a real site. The model demonstrates a high quality finish with care for the environment and allows the development to be densified in a way that does not disrupt the existing structure of towns and villages. The digital process, the ability to use local concrete and the mobility of the equipment make the solution easily adaptable to further plots with similar parameters.
Printed house and development opportunity on challenging plots of land
Many towns and cities are left with unused land of unusual shape. If a clear agreement pathway and a catalogue of replicable solutions is created, on-site printing with local materials can accelerate the construction of new, energy-efficient homes where people already work, learn and live. Tiny House LUX creates an example that can serve as a base for future developments, paving the way for the effective development of small, previously overlooked plots.
Project: ODA Architects
Price: €317,000
Photos: BoysPlayNice
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