Gianluca Pugliese

We are dreamers, we are makers; we start from 3D printing to save the world! In just 3 short years, WASP (World's Advanced Savings Project) has turned their vision to scale up 3D printing technology with additive, everyday natural materials to build affordable housing a reality. This massive achievement, with a quick turnaround, required a new way of thinking and approaching design and engineering challenges. ‘Building big ’with additive materials to manufacture such houses required out of the box thinking with tried, tested, and tried again research, investigation and an overhaul of mechanical design norms. What we call the “Discovery & Development” approach. One of the biggest challenges to the project was how to find the right systems and software that would support the new materials being printed. Now with the project’s goal realised, WASP have shown what is possible within additive manufacturing and the 3D printing process. The technology they have developed can allow ordinary people to create everyday essentials for themselves, from cheap materials like sand, water, clay and straw, an economy that is driven by what society needs to work. Described as ‘Maker Economy’, innovation is placed in the hands of makers, engineers, scientists and communities and can skip politics, finance and management strategies. By creating one of the world’s largest 3D printer, the WASP team aim to solve the world’s housing issues by creating clay houses – affordable, quickly and sustainably. The goal is to develop a system that can 3D print in any situation, even in extreme conditions such as those found in some parts of central Africa. Presented by one of the key project managers, WASP will show you what can be achieved through innovation, technology, science and collaboration. A momentous turning point in what manufacturing can deliver when we think out of the box and experiment to develop sustainable models and systems to advance life changing projects globally.