Chile Inaugurates Casa Semilla, Its First 3D Printed House

In a historic milestone for construction in Chile, the country’s first 3D printed house has been inaugurated in the Biobío region. The project, known as Casa Semilla, marks a significant advance in the adoption of new technologies in the housing sector, with the use of 3D concrete printing as the central axis. The house is the result of a collaboration between the Universidad del Bío-Bío and the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) in charge of financing.

The housing situation in Chile is a growing problem that affects hundreds of thousands of people. According to data published by the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism at the end of 2023, the country has a quantitative housing deficit of 554,046 homes. That is to say that a little more than half a million houses are “unrecoverable housing or overcrowded nuclei.” This situation is aggravated by the increase in construction costs and the scarcity of available land. The deficit not only reflects the need for more housing but also for solid solutions that make it possible to build more quickly and affordably. Faced with this challenge, technologies such as 3D printing with concrete emerge as a possible answer to reduce the housing gap.

Photo credits: Ahora Biobío

Key Points of the Project

The construction of the walls of the Casa Semilla took only 29 hours, with two additional days for installation. This reduced time represents a breakthrough in construction efficiency and reinforces the viability of this technology for future buildings. The design of the house follows circular economy and carbon-neutrality principles, making it a model of sustainability. In addition, the house has been designed to be seismic-resistant and with optimal thermal properties, allowing it to be installed in any region of Chile, a country known for its seismic activity and diverse geography.