Texas to house the world's largest 3D-printed neighbourhood

The world's largest 3D-printed neighbourhood is near completion in Wolf Ranch, a community in Georgetown, about 30 miles from Austin, Texas. The project is being handled by Vulcan, a robotic-arm-mounted 3D printer made by the Texas-based tech firm ICON.

As per a report by Reuters, ICON is close to finishing the 100 houses in what is set to be the biggest 3D-printed community in the world. The printer, which pipes layer to layer to build an object, is reportedly over 45 feet wide and weighs 4.75 tonnes.

The project began in November 2022, and compared to traditional construction, 3D printing is faster, less expensive, requires fewer workers, and reduces construction material waste, says ICON in an official statement.

In an interview with Reuters, ICON senior project manager Conner Jenkins said that 3D printing brings "a lot of efficiency to the trade market". He explained that instead of five different crews coming in to build a wall system, the company is building an entire neighbourhood with just one crew and one robot."

The massive Vulcan 3D-printer by ICON, capable of creating 3D-printed houses.

How does it work?

ICON explains that the 3D printer needs a mixture of materials to perform, specifically a combination of concrete powder, water, sand, and other additives. This mixture is then pumped into the printer, which is then squeezed out through a nozzle. Doing so creates solid layers, upon which more layers are added following a pre-programmed path. As such, the walls, and eventually, a house, are made.

It takes about three weeks to finish printing a single-story three to four-bedroom home. Since the 3D printer can only reliably make the walls, the foundation, and the metal rooftops are installed manually via traditional manners.

As per ICON, the concrete walls made via 3D printing are built to be water-resistant, while also being able to shrug off mold, termites, and extreme weather.

The report by Reuters adds that the 3D-printed homes at Wolf Ranch cost around $450,000 to $600,000 each. Called the "Genesis Collection", a bit over one-quarter of the 100 homes have already been sold, says ICON.

The concept design of the interiors of a house 3D-printed by ICON.