How a Nonprofit Built the World’s First 3D-Printed Community
New Story is using 3D printing and innovation to meet the growing global need for affordable housing
Experts estimate that 1.6 billion people around the globe lack access to adequate housing today and expect that number to reach 3 billion by 2050. To meet this soaring demand, nonprofit organization New Story is pioneering new approaches to construction that enable them to build higher quality homes faster and at a lower cost than standard construction processes allow. Their new community in Nacajuca, Mexico features innovations such as building with locally made eco-blocks, installing passive-cooling roofs, and, in partnership with start-up ICON, fabricating the world’s first 3D-printed community. Julieta Moradei shares their process for collaborating with local families to be sure that the homes they build meet the needs of residents, and with local governments to deploy these innovations quickly. And she outlines their process for creating, evaluating, and sharing their successes with governments and other NGOs around the world to bring the benefits of innovation first to those with the greatest need.
About the speaker
Julieta Moradei is the head of research and development at New Story, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to pioneer solutions to end global homelessness. Previously, she was a structural engineer at Arup, and also volunteered for Engineers Without Borders. She holds a master’s degree in structural engineering from UC Berkeley.
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