Tiny House Lux Redefines Compact Housing with 3D Printing

The First 3D-Printed Residential Building in Luxembourg

The municipality of Niederanven, a small commune in Luxembourg, now hosts the country’s first 3D-printed residential building. The project, known as Tiny House Lux, was designed by the local firm ODA Architects and marks a significant step toward rethinking affordable housing in challenging urban areas.

Responding to Housing Shortages

Architect Bujar Hasani designed the project as a practical response to the housing shortage. By collaborating with the municipality of Niederanven and Coral Architects, the team was able to identify narrow plots and leftover underutilized land across Luxembourg, which are difficult to develop using conventional construction methods.

Innovation Through On-Site 3D Concrete Printing

The solution came in the form of on-site 3D concrete printing, utilizing local materials instead of importing from abroad. The house extends long and narrow across its site in the village of Rammeldingen, with a width not exceeding 3.5 meters and a depth of 17.72 meters, enabling optimal use of a 47-square-meter space that would otherwise have remained unused.

Construction Techniques and Façade

A mobile printer was used to extrude standard concrete from a mixing station, with walls built in about a week, while the entire construction was completed within four weeks. The ribbed texture of the printed walls creates a distinctive façade that captures daylight throughout the day, while the lightweight wooden frame supports the roof, combining functional beauty with sustainability.

Tiny House Lux in Niederanven, Luxembourg, 3D-printed concrete residential building with sustainable design, compact urban layout, and energy-efficient features.

Interior Design Focused on Efficiency and Natural Light

The interior layout of the house features a clear single axis extending from the south-facing entrance to the rear, creating a sense of spaciousness despite the small footprint. Service areas are positioned on the sides, leaving the central corridor open and unobstructed, which enhances ease of movement and allows for better distribution of natural light. The entrance and terrace face south, enabling sunlight to penetrate deeply into the interior throughout the day.

Sustainable Energy and Self-Sufficiency

The project relies on underfloor heating film technology, powered entirely by solar panels installed on the roof. This solution makes the house energy self-sufficient and reduces ongoing operational costs for residents, reflecting the project’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

Targeting Young Residents Through a Local Program

The project is part of the municipality of Niederanven’s program known as “Hei wunne bleiwen”, meaning “Stay Living Here”. The program focuses on providing affordable housing solutions for young people within Luxembourg’s high-cost housing market. After its inauguration in August 2025, the first tenant moved in immediately. Notably, the house was intentionally designed without features for the elderly, maintaining a clear focus on the young demographic targeted by the program.

Political Controversy Over Project Costs

Not everyone welcomed the new innovation. Local political parties DP and LSAP criticized the high cost of the project, which reached €320,000, considering it an experimental initiative without a proven methodology. They also expressed concerns about chemical additives in the concrete used to accelerate hardening, questioning potential health implications. As a result, both parties boycotted the inauguration ceremony in protest.

Warm Reception from the Architectural Community

Despite the political controversy, the architecture and design community responded enthusiastically. Specialized publications such as New Atlas and HomeAdore covered the project, viewing it as a replicable model. The primary interest lies in its scalability; if this approach were applied to the remaining urban plots in Luxembourg, it could produce hundreds of compact homes without consuming green spaces or requiring massive infrastructure investments.

3D Printing as a Practical Solution

The Tiny House Lux project demonstrates that 3D concrete printing technology has matured beyond the stage of experimental innovation. When combined with thoughtful design and local materials, this technique provides municipalities with a tangible tool to address housing shortages.

Innovation Without Compromising Quality

The ribbed concrete walls, efficient layout, and energy self-sufficiency prove that speed and innovation do not compromise quality or comfort. While questions remain about the potential for wider adoption, the project has already shown that small plots can yield practical and meaningful housing solutions.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Tiny House Lux project can be seen as an architectural experiment offering clear potential for utilizing small plots and applying modern construction techniques such as 3D concrete printing. Its positive aspects include the ability to reduce construction time, use local materials, and achieve a degree of energy self-sufficiency, reflecting initial steps toward sustainable and self-reliant housing.

However, the project remains limited in scope due to its reliance on narrow plots, the small scale of the house, and the high cost relative to its size. There are also concerns regarding the broader adoption of the technology, its suitability for different age groups, and the long-term reliability of printed materials. Moreover, questions remain about how these homes integrate with urban infrastructure and public services in the context of a larger city.

Despite these reservations, the project provides a model that can be studied and adapted to different urban contexts. It reopens the discussion on how to rethink compact housing, optimize land use, and employ modern technologies to reduce waste and improve efficiency, making it a valuable source of practical lessons in contemporary architecture, even if it does not represent a definitive solution to all challenges.