The house that AI, robotics, and 3D printing built: alumni-led Nexus Innovations launch a pioneering digital building project

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The house that AI, robotics, and 3D printing built: alumni-led Nexus Innovations launch a pioneering digital building project


Harnessing cutting-edge digital technologies and automated construction methods, Nexus Innovations is poised to transform how homes are built. Founded by two Executive MBA graduates from Oxford Saïd Business School, the company is preparing to break ground on Belgium’s first 3D-printed urban redevelopment project: in a bold step toward redefining the future of housing.

By integrating efficient design with industrial robotics, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing, Nexus aims to deliver architecturally-distinctive homes that are high-quality and more sustainable. This next-generation approach to home building dramatically reduces material use, noise pollution, and construction waste, setting a new benchmark for performance and environmentally conscious building, explains Nexus.

‘Housing is one of humanity’s most pressing challenges - and a stagnant construction industry is a big part of the problem,’ said Nexus co-founder Joshua Crone. ‘There have been many high-profile attempts to solve this through modular factories, but they often struggle. The scale needed to keep them financially viable is enormous, and their output tends to be overly standardised - which is a hard sell for buyers looking for character and choice. On top of that, once components reach the unpredictability of the building site, quality issues and delays often undo any efficiency gains.’

He explained: ‘What we are doing is fundamentally different. We have built a seamless digital thread — connecting design directly to on-site automation.

‘We have combined our engineering with proven industrial robots, creating a scalable solution. Our 3D printing system gives us the freedom to build in the forms people want, without sacrificing quality or design. This is the kind of productivity leap the industry has been chasing for decades — and we believe we have cracked it.’

Joshua also emphasised the broader impact: ‘Affordability, sustainability, and energy efficiency are not just aspirations — they are imperatives. Construction accounts for nearly 40% of global landfill waste. We are drastically reducing this impact by designing for material efficiency from the start.'

He continued: ‘We have placed a major focus on material science. Concrete is widely available and printable, and its high thermal mass makes strong energy performance viable in most climates. With Project ‘Belgian One,’ we aim to show how all of this comes together — function, form, and sustainability — delivered faster and with less disruption to local communities.’

The project also addresses the construction industry’s skills gap.

According to Joshua: ‘The sector is also facing a major shortage of skilled labour…This technology is not just more efficient - it creates new jobs. We are opening doors for tech-savvy workers to operate robotic tools, manage digital platforms, and guide construction with technology rather than just physical labour. It is a shift that makes the industry more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready.’

Daniel Armanios, BT Professor of Major Programme Management at Oxford Saïd, praised the company’s bold direction: ‘Seeing an Oxford-founded startup tackle such a massive global challenge with entrepreneurial vision, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge technology embodies the kind of thinking we encourage at Oxford Saïd.’

He also underscored the stakes: “According to the UN, nearly 3 billion people — some 40% of the global population, lack adequate housing. Meeting that demand will require constructing 96,000 affordable units every day through to 2030. Innovative solutions such as Nexus Innovations are essential if we hope to meet that goal.’

Nexus is also collaborating with Dr Timothy Wangler, senior lecturer at ETH Zurich and the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research for Digital Fabrication, drawing on more than a decade of research into advanced construction robotics.

Joshua concluded: “Our mission is to address one of the world’s most urgent challenges.”

The company’s five-unit ‘Belgian One’ project — set to begin in June, will be the first urban redevelopment to deploy robotic 3D printing. This mixed-use development combines residential and commercial space, a design collaboration between award-winning architect Victoria Roznowski of Addit Studio and Belgian firm Drieskens & Dubois. Construction is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, with completion expected early next year.

With innovation at its core, Nexus Innovations is working to set a new industry standard — proving how automation, AI, and sustainability can come together to reshape the future of construction.



Accompanying images: Exterior; Interior (available upon request).



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For more information, accompanying images, or to speak to Joshua Crone, contact Jonny Stone at jonny@bluesky-pr.com or call (+44) 01582790704.