US architect builds world's first 3D printed castle - plans to print two-storey house next

“I have previously been sure I could print homes, but having finished the castle, I now have proof," said creator Andrey Rudenko

An American architect on a mission to make 3D printing your next home a viable option has unveiled a 3D printed castle he casually put together in his back garden.

Andrey Rudenko, whose work was first covered by 3DPrint.com, used his own custom-built 3D printer to create the castle, building up the construction using a quick-setting mix of concrete and sand that prints in layers 10 millimetres tall and 30 millimetres wide.

The ultimate goal for Rudenko is to 3D-print a two storey house including the roof, with the castle functioning as a test-run to calibrate his printer and his construction techniques (see the video below for footage of the printer in action).

Rudenko is not alone either: earlier this year a Chinese construction company showed off 10 small houses that they 3D-printed in less than 24 hours, while architects in Amsterdam are currently building a more attractive, canal-side house with 13 rooms (though that will take three years).

However, Rudenko says that his method will create homes of higher-quality, and will only need teams of two to construct: one with computers skills to program the machinery, and another to place steel bars inside the concrete for added strength and maintain the 3D-printer itself.

“A new era of architecture is inevitable, and I’m excited to see where the next few years will lead in terms of construction and design,” Rudenko told 3DPrint.com. “I have previously been sure I could print homes, but having finished the castle, I now have proof that the technology is ready.”