First 3D printed house in Germany inaugurated by Construction Minister

PERI, COBOD’s German distribution partner, 3D printed the 160 square meters, two-story building in Beckum: the first 3D printed house in Germany. Mrs. Ina Scharrenbach, Minister of Construction, Home, Municipal Affairs and Equality in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, officially opened the building, which represents a significant step forward in the use of 3D printing technologies for commercial construction projects.

“With the first 3D printed residential building in Germany, positive pressure is being generated in the construction industry: for innovative construction with new technologies, for greater attractiveness in construction professions and for modern architecture with new styles. Now we need to gain experience with the building and establish the manufacturing process on the market because only more housing provides affordable rents,” the Minister said.

PERI acquired a stake in COBOD back in 2018 and have since then used COBOD’s BOD2 printers to print buildings in Germany as well as in the US, where PERI recently revealed the start of a project with Habitat of Humanity for building affordable houses in Arizona by using 3D printing.

As PERI—both globally and domestically—is one of the leading suppliers of formwork equipment for the manual casting of concrete, the company’s involvement in 3D construction printing is a notable development and a sign that the conventional construction sector has understood that automation and digitalization is the future of the construction industry. This clearly affects, among other technologies, the use of robotic 3D construction printers.

With multiple buildings under the belt, Thomas Imbacher, director of Innovation & Marketing of the PERI Group explained why the Beckum project was unique for PERI:  “Together with our Danish technology partner COBOD, the PERI team has shown that 3D concrete printing technology is ready for the market. The project in Beckum is a milestone that has set many things in motion in the industry. The house in Beckum was the first of its kind and for PERI and for all those involved, this project will always remain something very special.”

While other companies involved in 3D construction printing often speak about their future plans and visions, COBOD continues to demonstrate its leadership by presenting actual 3D printed buildings and structures. These are not demonstrative projects carried out internally but they are carried out by a growing number of customers using COBOD’s 3D construction printers, mainly the BOD 2.

“We are very pleased, that we are beginning to see the fruits of the many 3D construction printers, which we have sold since the launch of the BOD 2 3D construction printer in 2019,” explained Henrik Lund-Nielsen, Founder and General Manager of COBOD. “Projects have been delayed by the Coronavirus, but now they start to be revealed. These buildings and the huge interest for them document that our technology – and the buildings they can make – are ready for the market”.