3D Printing Technologies as an Approach towards Designing Sustainable Affordable Housing Units

Abstract

3D Construction Printing, known as additive manufacturing technology, is considered a revolution in the free form construction process, a method by which objects are produced using certain additive technique to be converted from digital to physical model.This digital technology is evolving rapidly in architecture and interior design giving more space for creativity and innovation using a number of 3D printing methods and different materials. The paper discusses some of the key issues and challenges regarding the shortage of affordable housing and how to integrate creative design solutions in the field of architecture and interior design while achieving the sustainable development required and keeping up with the technological progress of the advanced 3D building construction techniques. The authors used the analytical and experimental descriptive approach in this paper and explored an experimental affordable house design in which interior design and architecture were integrated in the design reflecting the contemporary sustainable industrial revolution trends. The study aimed to explore new and innovative architecture and interior designs that uses 3D printing technologies in achieving sustainable residential houses and to simplify the building methods, overcome exceptionally adverse weather, reduce construction time, transportation and sustainable development costs. The research found that this technology enables innovative, creative, dynamic and free-forming environmental design ideas to be applied, and allowed architects and interior designers to well execute their complex designs and creations, rather than using the traditional construction techniques.Such innovation can contribute in constructing many communities to help in overcoming natural and social crises.