3DExpress: A Self-Regulating 3D Printed House Is Going Up in Italy

This week’s 3DExpress kicks off in Italy, where WASP has completed the 3D-printed walls of Itaca: a self-sufficient farm and living model built around a circular micro-economy. We then turn to VulcanForms, which has raised $220 million to scale its digital metal manufacturing platform. From there, we spotlight Sabrina Carpenter’s 3D-printed microphone used during her Grammy performance, before wrapping up with Formnext’s announcement of its partner country for 2026. As always, happy reading!

3D Printed Self-Sufficient House in Italy

In 2022, WASP announced the launch of the Itaca project: an open-air laboratory for sustainable living in the hills of Northern Italy. Now, they’ve shared that the walls of Itaca have been successfully 3D printed. The project consists of a self-sufficient farm and living model based on a circular micro-economy, designed to be easily replicated worldwide while meeting the same regulatory standards as traditional buildings. This setup uses four robotic arms anchored to a hexagonal structure to print four wall sections simultaneously, allowing the 164.9 m² structural shell to be completed in as little as a couple of days. Notably, the build process introduces a high level of workflow efficiency by embedding radiant heating, ventilation, and electrical systems directly into the walls during the printing phase, which eliminates complex post-construction retrofitting and enables the building to actively regulate air quality and temperature.

The project is also impressive for achieving a negative CO₂ emissions balance by using a lime-based mixture combined with agricultural waste instead of concrete. To maximize thermal efficiency and carbon sequestration, the walls were packed with rice husks byproduct, mixed with natural lime powder. This filler acts as internal insulation, transforming the structure into a passive energy house that self-regulates temperature.