Largest 3D Printed Homes Community For Affordable Housing in Austin, Texas

AFFORDABLE, ROBOTICALLY BUILT HOUSING

Innovation is becoming a real modern day living situation for this new community in Austin, Texas. Construction tech company ICON has collaborated with home builder Lennar and Bjarke Ingels Group to create the world’s first largest community made up of 3D printed homes. The community will be comprised of 100 homes all produced from robotics, software and materials from ICON and Bjarke Ingels Group. Starting development in the new year 2022, this will bring affordable housing for rising demand.

The project is an ambitious one. However, due to the cost of living in the U.S. consistently rising, wages not reflecting this change, the scarcity and overuse of resources, 3D printing is a smart and sustainable option in creating new housing communities. The teams involved in the creation of the 3D printing project believe in utilizing this new technology to serve the public.

The large-scale 3D printing system at ICON, called the “Vulcan” builds durable, energy-efficient homes. The actual process of creating each home is faster than the traditional methods with less waste and more flexibility with each design.

Vulcan, along with home builders at Lennar, can build houses up to 3,000 square feet. They are constructed using the International Building Code (IBC), a structural code standard for assurance and safety. They are expected to last for a long time, possibly even longer, than the conventional concrete masonry units. This means they can withstand extreme weather conditions. \

Their initiative is a response to the global housing crisis and to implement new technology for the benefit of all who need it. Construction-scale 3D printing is a breakthrough which can be used for environmental, sustainable and humanitarian purposes.