An architectural revolution is quietly taking place in the American suburbs. In Texas, a team of high-tech robotic builders have been busy building the world’s largest 3D-printed neighborhood, and it’s now nearing completion.
The project, called Wolf Ranch, is located near Austin and is being led by leading 3D printing firm Icon, with construction firm Lennar and renowned studio Bjarke Ingels Group also co-designing. It consists of 100 homes.
The homes are built using Icon’s Vulcan printer model. It measures 46.6 ft (14.2 m) x 15.6 ft (4.75 m) and can build a 3,000 sq ft (278 sq m) home with minimal human supervision and no need to move it around. The giant robotic printer extrudes a special cement-like mixture from a nozzle in layers, following a schematic, and creates the home’s basic shell.
Once the printing process is complete and the basic structure of the house is complete, human builders come in and complete the windows, doors, roof, and everything else needed to transform the house into a modern home.
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The homes themselves are pretty high-end. They range from 1,500 to 2,100 sq ft (about 140 to 195 sq m) and are all on one level, with eight different floor plans and three/four bedrooms and two/three bathrooms.
The interiors look bright and airy, with generous glazing and a large open living area and kitchen. They reduce grid-based energy use with a solar panel system, and they also have some smart home technology like a Ring Video Doorbell, Wi-Fi-enabled lock, and smart thermostat.
Homeowners have been moving into their new homes for months and to date Icon has installed 98 of the 100 home wall systems, with work continuing to complete them in the coming months. According to Reuters, pricing starts at $450,000.
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Elsewhere in Texas, Icon also produces 3D-printed architectural projects, such as the Wimberly Springs project and the El Cosmico campground hotel.
Source: Simge