A remarkable house has popped up west of BK-City. It was made with nothing more than a computer file and some plywood, without any craftsmanship: Marcel Bilow and his team build it in only two weeks.
Digitally produced components are nothing new and even 3D printed houses were made before. But according to Bilow, these are merely art projects, unsuitable to carry the load of a building. Besides, the material used in 3D printing is not able to withstand fire or water.
The Product Development lab (PDlab), as the project is called, is the first to digitally construct a complete and livable house using the fifty-years-old technology of computer-controlled (CNC) milling. PDlab is a project of the department of Architectural Engineering and Technology at the Faculty of Architecture, developed by Bilow and his colleagues Tillmann Klein and Pieter Stoutjesdijk.
CNC milling results in prefabricated, equal building blocks of plywood with high dimensional accuracy. Just as plastic Lego blocks are connected, the plywood building blocks use a smart system of interlocking to create a wall or floor. Apart from the nuts and bolts used to secure the construction, no other material than plywood was used.
Logistics change
Bilow explains: “We do not change the construction method or the construction material. We only change the way of assembly by prefabricating the blocks.” This means that the logistics to build a house completely change. Most of the construction process takes place in the factory. Because the blocks are equal in size and no other material is used, quick fabrication, delivery and assembly is possible. This avoids construction time and error on site.
Another advantage is the flexibility of the house. Due to the interlocking system, the building blocks can be dismantled and reassembled. PDlab was established to verify if a house can be easily transformable and adjustable over time. This might have interesting applications, for example in student housing.
Bilow thinks they succeeded, although a lot of work still needs to be done. Especially the quality of the finish can be improved. The error margin was slightly exceeded, because heavy rain made the plywood blocks expand. Electricity and other facilities are still needed. This is the topic of study for graduate students.
Will CNC-milled houses ever become simple and relatively cheap consumer products? Bilow is not sure. “The ownership of a house as we know it might change. If that happens, it will also change our way of building and living.”
The PDlab house can be seen at the western parking lot of the faculty of Architecture, where it will stay for at least one year. The house will be intensively used, among others as a conference room for all the sponsors. The official opening is expected at the end of April.
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