First 3D-Printed Multistory Building in US Underway in Houston, Texas

HANNAH, PERI 3D Construction, and CIVE, in collaboration with building industry partners, are in the process of 3D printing the first multistory printed structure in the US. The two-story single-family home in Houston, Texas, will integrate customized architectural design and a resilient structural system that leverages a hybridized construction method.

The 4,000-square foot project highlights the possibilities of 3D printing technology, mass customization, and design solutions that integrate conventional construction systems.

The project is the consummation of a two-year collective effort between boundary-pushing design researchers and industry partners. The project is spearheaded by architectural designers and assistant professors at the College of Architecture Art and Planning at Cornell University, Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, principals at HANNAH; along with PERI 3D construction printing and CIVE, one of the leading engineering and design/build contractors in the Houston.

The project also developed detailed solutions with key building industry partners from construction materials to HVAC systems. The team calibrated printing parameters with Quikrete’s new generation of printable concrete. The team collaborated with Huntsman Building Solutions and their R&D research team, and as a result, the building integrates a closed-cell foam insulation system. The hybridized construction utilizes Simpson Strong-Ties anchoring system for both 3D printed elements and wood connections. And the residential building deploys Carrier’s state-of-the-art Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology for an efficient HVAC system that is translatable to a large-scale housing and multifamily construction.