Sketchup-Ur-Space

Arup Engineers has developed the world’s first ever WikiHouse in London

Debamoy Ghosh

The first ever open source, digitally-printed 3D house alias WikiHouse is going to be constructed in central London. Arup engineers has developed this two-storied, two-bedroom house.

The WikiHouse is a low-energy house that can be downloaded, accommodated, printed and accumulated in a limited period of time under £50,000. No construction skill is required to build it.

If anybody wants to learn the bit-by-bit processes for creating its own 3d printed house, then visit www.wikihouse.cc/

One can start with downloading house designs produced and distributed by a global organization of designers.

Afterward, apply the WikiHouse plugin for SketchUp. One can produce a set of cutting files for the house parts. The parts are then 'printed' from a standard sheet material like plywood, with the help of a CNC milling machine.

Arup Engineers has developed the world’s first ever WikiHouse in London

The next phase should be organizing the numbered parts on the ground and slicing them together like a jigsaw.

Under this process no bolts are required; wedges and pegs are used to fix the parts.

After completion of all the processes, one can invite friends and family over the 'barn-raising'. The lightweight frames can be hoisted manually and attached into a house structure.

Once the basic house framework is prepared, significant elements like cladding, insulation, windows and, of course, a toilet can be included.