Vending Machine City : 3D Printable Architecture
A vending machine for houses?
A building that builds buildings? This skyscraper concept is an enormous 3D printer. Over time, the building itself grows in height as the demand for modular housing accumulates. This novel architectural approach generates affordable housing for the masses, customized with the click of a button.
Pod Vending Machine (dubbed the “House Dispensing Skyscraper”) is one part 3D printer and one part vending machine claw. At the very top of the skyscraper you have the production center - where new units are fabricated and parts are curated. Once assembled, the freshly printed pods are collected by a mechanical arm and delivered as a ready-made apartment to the home-buyer below. The design by - Haseef Rafiei - was inspired by the vending machine culture of Tokyo. This automated approach to real estate (if adopted) could radically change the way cities grow and perhaps address the increasing unaffordability of major cities around the world.
"The basic unit of a home is explored as tectonic objects. The house is broken down into basic amenities where users can select which amenities they need. The homeowner could determine what type of pods they wanted by combining multiple sub-pods to form their home. Unused pods will be disassembled or placed in storage to be re-used, thus creating a metabolic cycle within the skyscraper." - Haseef Rafiei
Vending machines are a fixture of the public realm in Japan. Sidewalks are frequently lined with options of ready-made food, beverage among hundreds of other non-perishables. Even though they represent a deep consumerist culture (which is good or bad, depending on who answers) I think they are actually kind of charming. All lined up, each machine tries to stand out from the next. They're like colorful billboards trying to impress you and catch your eye. At night, these brightly lit boxes glow like buildings on a skyline. Perhaps Tokyo will continue to build on the already thriving culture of the ready-made. One day, you may be able to order your very own apartment.
A home in 24 hours
3D printing will surely play a big role in affordable housing of the 21st century. Here's an example (below) of a 10,000 USD home printed and assembled in just 24 hours. These types of projects may open up new solutions for not only affordable housing, but also for disaster relief planning and refugee crisis around the globe. Minimizing construction waste could radically alter the way in which cities build and grow.
Fellow Steemians,
What do you think about 3D printed architecture? Will this new era of fabrication-tech usher in affordable housing for the masses? Or perhaps, create a world where everything looks pretty much the same...
The 3/d printed home concept blows my mind....do you think we'll see this become a habitual practice in our lifetimes?
I believe so! I keep looking out of my office and seeing these concrete slab buildings being repeated over and over all around me. I feel like once the tech is sound enough, that repetitive process will be very feasible (in terms of "printing")... We shall see!
I certainly hope that good design will be a part of this new technology though, there's plenty of crap out there already and it would be so great to see some truly thoughtful and even brilliant design used as techological advances happen.
I believe 3D printing has the ability to drastically change not only our architecture but also the whole concept of retail. 3D printers will improve and will become as common as home computers/laptops. Things we now order from a retailer will be printed at home. I think it will also add to a massive diversity of designs as people will be able to experiment with concepts so much more easily at home. How many times have you looked at something and thought that you could design it better? 3D printing will allow that. The very first baby steps towards the dream of a Star Trek replicator?? :-D
Haha a replicator is in reach! Maybe one day soon a retailer (say Amazon) could sponsor a 3D printer in your apartment. Instead of ordering online, you could voice activate "alexa" to print you a new coffee mug! The future is wild.
Just hope it arrives before I'm too old to enjoy it!
I think this could be the way to go i major cities. I guess it could also reduce renovation and production cost.
Do you know if/when they will build such a vending machine building?
It could happen sooner than we think! "Pre-fabricated" skyscrapers are already happening in New York City (though not to this extreme yet). So the mindset is already in place. Once 3D printing tech evolves to work better with metal and casting - we'll be off to the races.
I wasn't aware that they already were using that technique in NY. Things certainly happen quickly once an idea or tech gains momentum on a wider scale, and 3D printing is really catching on at the moment.
Another thing I see catching on at the moment, is the construction of energy efficient houses and buildings.
This looks better than William Gibson imagined. I hope the whole apartment doesn't end up smelling like melted polymer.
Gotta love that new modular home smell!
It looks like living in an oversized 'Connect Four' game rack.
What if you came home from work and the building has reclaimed your apartment? What if it happened when you were sleeping?
Did you ever see a 1997 movie called 'Cube'?
Cube? Sounds great, I'll do a search for that :-)
Cg
'Cube' is not for children.
I'll make sure not to watch it with my 6 year old.
Cg
Good point!
Cg
A frame could be printed, and a replaceable liner used to exclude the polymer smell while providing an additional layer of insulation.
Wow! I've seen the future and it works! If this is going to happen anywhere it will be Japan. Though I do see a problem with just going higher and higher, obviously there will have to be some kind of limit or perhaps the foundations get built as if it will be 50 stories right from the get-go.
Interesting, I think when it finally happens, it will probably slightly different than the original concept. It's great to see 3D printing evolving like this though :-)
Cg
It will be fascinating to watch as this technology scales upwards. Perhaps buildings (as we know them today) will no longer be built in 1 go and all at once. Soon they may grow as needed! That would make for a very dynamic and cool place!
Buildings that grow :-) As a child of the 70s this is so awesome for me, I used to sit and wonder what life would be like in and beyond the year 2000. I must say, it's living up to expectations. :-D
Cg
No way... this is really cool... and really crazy. But I hope that real architects are behind this so that we can still have diversity on this beautiful diverse earth!
Diversity is key! Hopefully hyper-dense solutions like these incorporate some beauty and complexity!
Interesting concept. I wasn't aware they were actually using it in NYC.
Brilliant solution for disaster areas. But most of all for areas where there is a shortage of affordable housing.
It has so many applications, the possibilities are endless.
I wouldn't mind designing one for myself.
Truly, the possibilities here are very exciting. I agree that for disaster areas this will have a massive impact.
Yeah! I heard about this, 3D printing is the future indeed
Awesome! Thought this might be up your alley @makerslab
I love it! Housing choices without the enormous mortgage!
Just tiny little modular mortgages now :)
I think that for this to be a success they need to make the building more attractive, otherwise it will only be a success in the ultra-dense cities of east Asia like Tokyo, Hong Kong or Singapore. I have difficulties imagining this being popular in Europe. 😓
True! There's very little character in modular housing. And that hurts it when you think about scaling up. For these pods to work you really need a flexible city-fabric (almost experimental) with a high density. Older cities like capitals in Europe might not like this :)