A large-scale robot is constructing Australia’s first multi-storey 3D-printed home in Melbourne. The project, led by Sydney- and Melbourne-based company LUYTEN, utilizes the AI-powered PLATYPUS X12 Crane 3D Construction Printer to build the 350-square-meter home, which will be occupied by LUYTEN CEO Ahmed Mahil.
Unlike previous single-storey prototypes, the Melbourne project is testing the limits of 3D construction printing in high temperatures and storm conditions. The house design incorporates features such as a printed lift core and walls engineered for noise reduction using acoustic diffraction principles. The AI-powered system employs reinforcement learning algorithms to ensure precision in layering concrete for both aesthetic and structural purposes.
The home is expected to be completed within five weeks, a significantly shorter timeline compared to conventional construction methods, which typically take eight to eleven months. The project has received interest from federal and state governments as 3D printing gains traction as a potential solution to Australia’s housing crisis. Last year, Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic visited LUYTEN’s 3D construction printer factory in Melbourne. LUYTEN is collaborating with international engineering firm Bollinger + Grohmann for structural certification and with the University of New South Wales ARC Centre for Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing for research and design input.
