We’ve seen some extraordinary 3D printing projects this year, but a floating house is definitely a first.

The 3D printed house will be made using concrete. Once hardened, the structure will be fixed onto a pontoon boat and will float on Prague’s Vltava River in the Czech Republic. 

Sculptor Michal Trpak designed the floating house in the shape of a protozoa: a single-celled organism with a simple shape. 

He has coined the project the Protozoon, a combination of “protozoa” and “pontoon.”

The house has a footprint of just over 450 square feet and comprises three rooms: a bathroom, a bedroom, and a combo living room/kitchen. 

Once finished, it’ll have a green energy roof, recirculation shower, and other eco-friendly features.

3D printed houses are beneficial because they cut down on costs and building time. Floating homes, like the Protozoon, also cut down on land use.  

“We didn’t have a plot of land to place it on, and anyway, to do that, you need a building permit and that takes up to two years (to secure),” Trpak said. “But if you float it on a river, you only need consent from the navigation body, which is much faster.”

The future applications of 3D printing are virtually endless and we can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.