In Nome, a new kind of home is rising – layer by layer from a 3D printer. When finished, it will be Alaska’s very first occupied 3D-printed house.
Built with the support of the Rasmuson Foundation and other partners, the three- bedroom home is part of a test project that could reshape housing in rural Alaska. Workers recently raced to finish a section of wall before foundation visitors arrived, watching as the robot’s giant arm pumped out smooth layers of concrete.
The design includes features for Arctic living, like an insulated “arctic box” for easy water hookups and one of the sturdiest foundations Nome has ever seen. Though this first house is costly, the goal is to eventually make homes like this affordable – and even use local rock and gravel in future builds.
If all goes as planned, Nome’s 3D-printed house will be ready for visitors next year, a hopeful glimpse at how innovation and resilience can help meet Alaska’s housing needs.
