First multi-storey 3D-printed home takes shape in Melbourne

Australia’s first multi-storey 3D-printed house is under construction in Melbourne using locally developed artificial intelligence and robotics technology.

The 350-square-metre home is being built by construction technology company Luyten 3D using its AI-powered PLATYPUS X12 Crane 3D Construction Printer.

Luyten CEO Ahmed Mahil, who plans to live in the completed house, said the project aims to demonstrate the viability of 3D-printed homes.

“As the first CEO to live in a 3D printed house, printed by his own company and own company’s manufactured robots, I intend to break the psychological barrier people may have and to smash any doubts in the industry about the future of 3D printed homes,” he said.

The project pushes technical boundaries by printing in challenging weather conditions and incorporating advanced features like a lift core and noise-cancelling walls.

The construction is expected to take five weeks, compared to traditional building times of 8-11 months.

International engineering firm Bollinger + Grohmann is certifying the structural integrity of the building, while the University of New South Wales ARC Centre for Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing is providing design expertise.

The technology has attracted government attention as a potential solution to Australia’s housing crisis, with Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic visiting Luyten’s Melbourne factory late last year.

The project marks the first multi-storey 3D-printed house in the Southern Hemisphere, with previous attempts limited to single-storey prototypes built in milder weather conditions.