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    • The world’s first 3D printed hotel is being built in Marfa, Texas
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    The world’s first 3D printed hotel is being built in Marfa, Texas

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

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    The world’s first 3D printed hotel is being built in Texas.

    In the desert on the outskirts of Marfa, El Cosmico is building 43 new hotel units and 18 residential buildings – using a 3D printer, Reuters reports.

    A giant 3D printer is expanding the existing hotel and campground in a West Texas desert by 40 acres to its current 21 acres.

    Company behind the world’s largest 3D printed hotel building community

    Liz Lambert, owner of El Cosmico, is working with Austin-based ICON, the same printing company that is currently completing the world’s largest 3D printed community in Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch neighborhood. The project’s architects are from Bjarke Ingels Group.

    The expansion of El Cosmico is expected to be completed by 2026. Unit rates are expected to range from $200 to $450 per night.

    Read more: The world’s largest 3D printed community is nearing completion in this fast-growing Texas city

    “A crazy way to build”

    The printer, ICON’s Vulcan, is 46.5 feet wide, 15.5 feet tall and weighs nearly five tons – the size of a crane. According to Reuters, construction has already begun on two units, single-story buildings 12 feet tall with curved beige walls. One is a three-bedroom living space, the other is a single hotel unit.

    “Most hotels are within four walls and often you build the same unit over and over again,” Lambert told Reuters. “I’ve never been able to build with so few restrictions and so fluidly… just the curves, the domes and the parabolas. It’s a crazy way to build.”

    How does the ICON 3D printer work?

    ICON uses a unique concrete-based material called Lavacrete that is designed for strength, affordability and printability. The mix of ingredients is tailored to the local weather, explains Jason Ballard, CEO and co-founder of ICON.

    “The magic is in the admixtures that allow us to keep printing,” Ballard said.

    Humidity, temperature and irradiation also affect material properties and final color, Ballard added.

    According to Reuters, ICON’s Vulcan features a robotic arm and nozzle that operate above the construction site on a gantry, a bridge-like structure designed to support equipment during construction. A pressure technician monitors the Vulcan.

    Despite his involvement in El Cosmico’s expansion, the Vulcan has limitations. This year ICON is introducing a new printer called Phoenix. The new printer will be able to build the foundation and roof of houses, not just the walls.

    According to Ballard, the Phoenix will eliminate the barriers faced by the Vulcan while reducing costs and expanding design potential. Like the Vulcan, the Phoenix will also be crane-like. However, while the Vulcan’s robotic arm is capable of building single-story homes, the Phoenix is ​​designed to build larger buildings. Its extensive range of motion allows it to print in a consistent line regardless of weather or design.

    Is 3D printing better than traditional construction?

    Some argue that 3D printed homes are faster, cheaper, require fewer workers, and waste less building materials compared to traditional construction.

    In an interview with Forbes, Dmitry Starodubtsev, chief technology officer of 3D printing company Mighty Buildings, said that building houses in this way could reduce the time it takes to produce a single-family home by six months.

    “We are trying to automate the construction process, increase quality and increase factory throughput, essentially unlocking productivity in the regions with high demand for housing,” Starodubtsev said. “The entire system aims to eliminate as many on-site labor hours as possible to lower prices and make it more affordable for different generations of people, not just millennials.”

    According to Reuters, it takes about three weeks to complete printing of the single-story, three- to four-bedroom 3D-printed homes in Georgetown.

    Read more: Austin’s Icon unveils new 3D printer, AI tool and building material at SXSW

    How much does a 3D printed house cost?

    According to Business Insider, ICON said it could build a 600 to 800 square foot building for just $4,000 in 24 hours.

    Larger homes with additional features and higher quality materials could cost between $50,000 and $150,000.

    Highly custom or larger homes can cost anywhere from $150,000 to more than $500,000, depending on the design and level of completion.

    How does a 3D printer work?

    Three-dimensional printing, also called additive manufacturing, is a process in which objects are created from a digital file by layering material. This is how it works:

    • CAD software: The process begins with creating a 3D digital model using computer-aided design software. The model can also be created by scanning an existing object or downloading a draft from a repository.
    • Cut: The 3D model is then divided into thin horizontal layers using slicing software. This software converts the model into a file format (e.g. .STL or .OBJ) that the 3D printer can read and defines how each layer should be printed.
    • Printer configuration: The printer needs to be configured based on the material used, the desired resolution and other parameters such as temperature, speed and layer thickness.
    • Diploma: Depending on the material and quality of the print, additional finishing processes such as sanding, painting or curing may be required.
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    Madoc Meredith
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