Following the completion of four homes in Austin, Texas, architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group has partnered with home builder Lennar to create a remarkably ambitious new development consisting of 100 3D-printed family homes in somewhere in the Austin, Texas area. Construction will begin in 2022.
Its ‘Vulcan building system’ can produce strong and energy efficient homes faster and with less waste than conventional building approaches, while offering more design freedom.
A response to the housing crisis
Depending on the project, buildings and other structures of up to nearly 300 square meters can be constructed using the system. The idea is to create “the largest 3D-printed neighborhood of houses in the world.”
In this initial stage, the number of bedrooms or bathrooms that these houses will contain, nor their specific size, are unknown, but they have confirmed that they will be single-family homes, all arranged on one floor. They will also have solar panels installed on the roof to reduce their consumption on the grid.
“Designed as a diverse collection of contemporary living spaces, the houses embrace a variety of distinctive spatial concepts ,” explains engineering firm Icon. “The design approach modernizes the aesthetics of the suburban home, while the 3D printing technology textures and provides distinctive touch points for each space. The freedom of form facilitated by this building technology, including the sinuous curves of the walls, combines with traditional building materials to create homes that are both aesthetically and physically unique. “
“Labor and material shortages are two of the biggest factors that make the dream of homeownership out of reach for many families,” says Eric Feder, president of Lennar’s affiliate, LENX.
How will the houses in this mini-town be built?
It will involve Icon’s own Vulcan model 3D printer extruding a cement-like mix in layers to build the basic structure of each home. Once the shell is complete, the human builders will go in and finish it off, adding a roof, doors, windows, etc., as well as interior furniture.
“3D printed architecture and photovoltaic roofs are innovations that represent important steps to reduce waste in the construction process, as well as to make our homes more resilient, sustainable and energy self-sufficient.” The announcement of the new housing project is said to represent a deepening of the relationship between Lennar and ICON, which began when the former invested $ 207 million in the latter.
We look forward to hearing more details soon, including the completion date for the groundbreaking work and the cost of the 3D printed houses.
