Technology

3D printed houses are TikTok's newest obsession. Meet Alquist and Tvasta

Ishita SrivastavaApril 5, 2022 | 14:38 IST

3D printing is becoming all the rage on TikTok. Videos on 3D printing are going viral all over the social media application. 3D printing is essentially the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model. It is done by layering many thin layers of a material in succession, on top of each other.

To understand how 3D printers work, check out this video: 

But TikTok users are pushing the possibilities of 3D printing; particularly the possibility of building affordable 3D printed houses.

Aiman Hussein, Director of printing at Alquist 3D has been releasing TikTok videos on 3D printing houses. His highest viewed TikTok is how Alquist’s printers are able to systematically layer concrete to build up a house's external walls in a computer-generated pattern.

Watch this video of the CEO of Alquist, Zack Mannheime, show the external walls of the 3D printed house and how the house would look like, once completely built: 

Since 2020, Alquist has been able to build - or 3D print - two houses: one in Williamsburg, Virginia; and the other in Richmond, Virginia, US. April Stringfield and her family are already living in Alquist's Williamsburg house. The Williamsburg house was built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity

The Williamsburg house is a three-bedroom, two-bath concrete structure and is able to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes. The house was built in 28 hours.

Talking about the Williamsburg house, Zack told Architectural Digest, "You don’t have to be a millionaire to customise your home. 3D technology allows for customisation at all levels of home buying, and Alquist will be offering this later this year."

But there's is an Indian startup that is giving Alquist a run for their money in 3D printing houses. Built by IIT Madras alumni, Tvasta is a startup founded by Adithya, Vidyashankar and Parivarthan. The trio uses 3D printers to build sustainable and livable homes in just 5 days! (READ MORE HERE: Anand Mahindra wants to invest in startup Tvasta. What do they do? )

Tvasta's entire agenda behind building 3D printed homes is to create zero-waste construction and optimise production. The startup has been vouched for by none other than the Chairman of the Mahindra group, Anand Mahindra. Mahindra has also asked the startup if he could be as an investor.

The startup also made headlines when it was spoken about by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a Mann Ki Baat episode aired in July 2021. The PM said, "Friends, when we are discussing technology, I want to point out another interesting subject. You must have recently read that a startup by an IIT Madras alumni has built a 3D printed house. Making a house through 3D printing? How was it possible?"

To see how Tvasta made it possible, take a look at this video:

Sustainability at its best!

Last updated: April 05, 2022 | 14:38
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