Today’s Solutions: May 20, 2026

It seems there’s no limit to what the 3D printer can do. In the past couple weeks we’ve written about a 3D-printed artificial human heart and a 3D-printed organ that mimics the lungs in terms of function. Now the 3D printer is being utilized for another monumental task: creating a complete neighborhood for some of the world’s poorest people, who currently live without shelter in Latin America.

The nonprofit behind the neighborhood, New Story, released a video last week that shows renderings of the layout of the homes—and they’re actually quite wonderful. The homes feature curved edges and wooden columns, and be 3D printed in less than a day. Best of all, these houses are much more affordable than the standard low-cost homes that New Story currently builds in the developing world, which cost around $7,000.

With the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood, New Story wants to show that it’s entirely possible to create affordable, beautiful homes for even the most vulnerable people in society.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Earth Prize 2026 part I: teenage teams tackling big global problems 

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every year, The Earth Prize asks teenagers across the world the same question: what environmental problem would you ...

Read More

Earth Prize 2026 part II: seaweed fabric, hornbill nests, and a healing bandage

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This is part two of our Earth Prize 2026 coverage. Part one covered four regional winners from Ireland, ...

Read More

How the capital of Lithuania is turning itself into a vast open-air cafe

For many cities around the world, the need for social distancing has motivated cities to experiment with different urban planning schemes. Recently, we published ...

Read More

This power-free sewer treatment plant was inspired by cow stomachs

80 percent of the world’s sewage is dumped untreated into the natural environment. This is a huge health and environmental crisis, but traditional sewage ...

Read More