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Pull up a pew
3D printing promised to make us all creators of our own gadgets and devices, but so far the high costs and complicated process has stopped it becoming mainstream. These two new structures show the potential of the tech.
The first is a mansion made completely by 3D printing. It spans 1,100 square metres and stands three storeys tall, with a balcony complete with balustrade and banisters. Admittedly it's not quite so pretty on the inside, but it's more a demonstration of what's possible.
The second is a five-storey apartment block. It's not quite as attractive, but again, it's pretty amazing considering it was all printed.
Both were made by Winsun, the Chinese company that has previously made basic homes using a 3D printer. These are its most ambitious projects yet. They're both proof-of-concept homes for now, positioned side-by-side in an expo area in Suzhou, eastern China, Tech In Asia reports. But it might not be long before people are living in such structures.
They were made by printing multiple layers of concrete that form pre-fabricated walls that are then moved into place.
Read more: Red Bull Racing: 3D printing is the future of F1
We've seen plenty of novelty items made using 3D printers, but these are the best demonstrations yet that they could be put to good use.
There has been a glut of more affordable 3D printers on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo recently, so let's hope the prices continue to fall. Then we could unleash the tech's true potential.