WASP’s construction-focused startup WASP 3D Build has completed the 3D printing of the walls for Itaca, a self-sufficient home billed as Italy’s first certified 3D printed construction.
Located at the Shamballa open air laboratory in the hills of Northern Italy, the structure complies with Italian and European construction regulations, including earthquake resistance standards.
For 3D printed construction, regulatory approval has consistently proved harder to secure than the actual fabrication. Multiple pilot projects have gone up across Europe, yet full compliance with national building codes remains limited, particularly in seismically active areas.
To that end, Italy operates under a comprehensive set of earthquake standards that place structural performance under close scrutiny during certification. Meeting those requirements suggests the structural approach used in Itaca aligns with the regulatory thresholds governing permanent construction under current seismic rules.
“Getting a place as harsh as the moon to be inhabited is hard to imagine, but science says it can be done. Why don’t we apply the same technologies here on Earth, to get even the most extreme environments to be hospitable?” said, Massimo Moretti, Founder of WASP.
Building a certified 3D printed structure
The walls were printed using a new configuration of the Crane WASP system, with four robotic arms positioned at the vertices of a hexagonal structure to simultaneously produce four wall sections.
Together, the system can complete the structural shell in about two days, with each wall requiring approximately 24 hours to print. The structure spans 164.9 m², with walls rising 3.8 m and measuring 60-70 cm in thickness.
The building’s geometry is based on a square inscribed within a circle, with four main walls positioned at the square’s corners and a central opening on each side.
For the structural material, the startup used a lime-based mixture without concrete, citing its lower carbon emissions compared to traditional cement and its breathability, which supports moisture regulation and helps prevent mold. Reinforcement columns are planned within the wall infills to enhance structural integrity, meet seismic requirements, and support a planned green roof.
Wall cavities are designed to be filled with rice husks sourced from agricultural waste, combined with natural lime powder to create internal insulation that supports passive energy performance. According to the startup, pairing the primary construction material with insulating byproducts reduces environmental impact to the “point of achieving a negative CO₂ emissions balance” for the walls. Where regulations permit, the same architectural module can also be constructed using earth as a building material.
Mechanical and electrical systems were integrated directly into the printing process, with radiant heating, electrical installations, and insulation embedded during fabrication. Ventilated wall design further contributes to indoor temperature regulation.
Beyond the printed structure itself, two rainwater collection basins have been installed to support water recovery, soil control, and crop cultivation, while a green roof and solar panel system are planned to enhance insulation and energy performance.
The broader concept assumes that a 33 m diameter area is sufficient to support up to four people in a self sufficient configuration, forming part of a collective research and development model in which technical solutions are digitized and shared.
How standards are shaping construction 3D printing
Efforts to formalize construction 3D printing through international standards have accelerated in recent years. In December 2023, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ASTM International published ISO/ASTM 52939:2023, establishing qualification and quality-assurance principles for 3D printed structural and infrastructure elements.
Although the standard does not grant design approvals or certify specific materials, it defines process-control and engineering-oversight requirements intended to support regulatory review and certification pathways in construction-scale 3D printing.
Recent projects demonstrate how these standards are being applied in practice. About a year ago, Harcourt Technologies Ltd (HTL.tech) completed Europe’s first social housing project built in compliance with ISO/ASTM 52939:2023.
Constructed using COBOD’s BOD2 3D printer, the Grange Close development was delivered in 132 days, approximately 35% faster than comparable conventional builds. The project featured load-bearing double-cavity walls printed in accordance with EN 206 and Eurocode 6 standards for unreinforced masonry and was recognized by Ireland’s National Standards Authority for integrating international standards into construction 3D printing processes.
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Featured image shows an aerial view of WASP’s Crane WASP system printing the walls of the Itaca project. Photo via WASP.
