An architectural revolution is quietly taking place in the American suburbs. In Texas, a collection of high-tech robotic builders have been busily constructing the largest 3D-printed neighborhood in the world and it's now nearing completion.
Named Wolf Ranch, the project is located near Austin and is spearheaded by leading 3D-printing firm Icon, with construction firm Lennar, plus high-profile studio Bjarke Ingels Group co-designing. It consists of 100 residences.
The houses are constructed 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 house measuring 3,000 sq ft (278 sq m) with minimal human supervision and without needing to be moved around. The giant robotic printer extrudes a proprietary cement-like mixture out of a nozzle in layers, following a blueprint, and builds up the basic shell of the home.
Once the printing process is finished and the basic structure of a house is complete, human builders then take over and finish off the windows, doors, roof and anything else required to turn it into a modern home.
The houses themselves are very high-end. They measure 1,500 - 2,100 sq ft (roughly 140 - 195 sq m), and are arranged all on one floor, with eight different floorplans and either three/four bedrooms and two/three bathrooms available.
The interiors look light-filled and spacious inside, with generous glazing and a large open living area and kitchen. They reduce their grid-based energy usage with a solar panel system and also boast some smart home tech, including a Ring Video Doorbell, Wi-Fi-operated lock, and a smart thermostat.
Homeowners have been moving into their new homes for months and to date Icon has printed 98 of the 100 of the homes' wall systems, with work ongoing to finish them completely in the coming months. A company rep told us that pricing starts at US$400,000.
Elsewhere in Texas, Icon is also producing other 3D-printed architecture projects, including the Wimberly Springs development and El Cosmico campground hotel.
Source: Icon
