TECLA: The Future of Residential Habitats

Conceptualised by WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects, TECLA is the world’s first 3D-printed, eco-sustainable house model made of raw earth

Mario Cucinella Architects, in association with WASP (World’s Advanced Saving Project), recently announced the completion of TECLA – Technology and Clay, the world’s first eco-sustainable housing model 3D printed entirely from raw earth. Inspired by one of Italo Calvino’s ‘invisible cities’, the city in continuous construction, TECLA evokes the strong link between the past and future by combining the matter and spirit of timeless ancient homes with the technological prowess of the 21^st century.

Born from the vision of WASP Founder Massimo Moretti and a research project by Mario Cucinella, Founder and Creative Director of Mario Cucinella Architects, TECLA responds to the increasingly serious issue of climate change, to the need for sustainable homes, and to the great global issue of the housing emergency that will have to be faced—particularly in the context of urgent crises generated, for example, by large migrations or natural disasters.

“TECLA shows that a beautiful, healthy and sustainable home can be built by a machine, giving the essential information to the local raw material. TECLA is the finger that points to the moon. The moon is the home, as a birthright for everybody on the planet. With TECLA, that’s getting possible,” says Moretti.

The Technology

“We like to think that TECLA is the beginning of a new story. It would be truly extraordinary to shape the future by transforming this ancient material with the technologies we have available today. The aesthetics of this house are the result of a technical and material effort. It was not just an aesthetic approach only; it is an honest form, a sincere form,” explains Cucinella. The innovative 3D Printing technology called Crane WASP is the first in the world to be modular and multilevel, and is designed to aid large-scale construction projects. TECLA uses two synchronised printer arms simultaneously. Each printer unit has a printing area of 50 square metres that makes it possible to build independent housing modules in a few days. Located in Massa Lombarda, Italy, TECLA has become a reality thanks to the Sustainability (a training centre founded by Mario Cucinella), the pioneering research projects of Mario Cucinella Architects and the collaborative 3D printing technology of WASP.

“We like to think that TECLA is the beginning of a new story. It would be truly extraordinary to shape the future by transforming this ancient material with the technologies we have available today. The aesthetics of this house are the result of a technical and material effort. It was not just an aesthetic approach only; it is an honest form, a sincere form.”

— Mario Cucinella

The Sustainability Quotient

TECLA is a unique housing model that brings together research on vernacular construction practices, the study of bioclimatic principles and the use of natural and local materials. It’s a pioneering example of low-carbon housing. Its casing and the use of an entirely local material allow for the reduction of waste and scraps. For this project, the architects not only explored housing solutions in aesthetic terms, but they also considered the building’s shape in relation to its climate and latitude. In addition, the composition of the earth mixture responds to local climatic conditions and the filling of the envelope is parametrically optimised to balance thermal mass, insulation and ventilation according to the climate needs.

The Design Language

TECLA is a composition of two continuous elements that through a sinuous and uninterrupted sine curve culminate in two circular skylights that convey the ‘zenith light’. The atypical shape, from the geometry to the external ridges, has enabled the structural balance of the construction—both during the 3D printing phase of the envelope and when the covering is completed—giving life to an organic and visually coherent design. With an area of about 60 square metres, it comprises a living zone with a kitchen and a night zone that includes services. The furnishings—partly printed in local earth and integrated into the raw-earth structure, and partly designed to be recycled or reused—reflect the philosophy of a circular house model.

In conclusion, TECLA can be delivered with 200 hours of printing, 7000 machine codes (G-code), 350 12mm layers, 150km of extrusion, 60 cubic metres of natural materials for an average consumption of less than 6KW.