In 2019, 3D-printing company WASP and Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) unveiled their concept to design the first 3D-printed house made entirely from clay. Today, the collaborative project—known as TECLA, a name derived from the words technology and clay—is finally complete and on display near Bologna, Italy.

The brainchild of Mario Cucinella, the founder and creative director of MCA, and Massimo Moretti, the founder of WASP, TECLA is a nearly zero-waste project. By implementing reusable and recyclable materials, the company hopes to provide a new means of affordable housing. “We like to think that TECLA is the beginning of a new story,” says Cucinella, noting how the project responds to the increasingly serious climate emergency and the need for sustainable homes.

“The aesthetics of this house are the result of a technical and material effort; it was not an aesthetic approach only,” explains Cucinella. With its atypical shape, the curving, circular home brings to life both the study of bioclimatic principles and the use of natural, locally sourced clay. For example, the unit’s curvilinear form and external ridges provide structural support both during the 3D-printing phase and once the residence is complete, “giving life to an organic and visually coherent design.”

With nearly 650 square feet of interior space, TECLA comprises a “living zone” with a sun-lit kitchen, and a “night zone” with a bedroom and bath. “The furnishings—partly printed with 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,” state the firms. Two ocular skylights invite ample natural light inside.

By relying entirely on locally sourced clay, TECLA reduces waste and material scraps, in turn providing a comparatively low-carbon and affordable solution to homebuilding. “It would be truly extraordinary to shape the future by transforming this ancient material with the technologies we have available today,” says Moretti.

Related Reading:

This Startup Is 3D-Printing Affordable Homes Made Entirely of Clay

Project Credits:

Architectural and Furniture Design: Mario Cucinella Architects

3D-Printing Technology: WASP – World's Advanced Saving Project