Homebuilding company Lennar and construction technologies company ICON are collaborating with BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group to build the largest community of 3D-printed homes to date. The 100-home neighborhood in Austin is expected to break ground in 2022 and will combine ICON’s innovative robotics, software, and advanced materials with BIG's designs.
The project comes after labor and material shortages, which have made home ownership out of reach for many American families, with almost 5.5 million shortage of single family homes across the country. 3D printing technology produced by ICON offer durable and energy-efficient homes that can be constructed faster than conventional building methods and result in less waste. The modules will be designed and engineered from the ground up using ICON’s Vulcan construction system, a technique that delivers homes and structures up to 3,000 square feet and features wall systems and advanced materials that are stronger and longer-lasting than traditional building materials, withstanding extreme weather conditions.
Designed by BIG, the houses will feature diverse contemporary living spaces, modernizing traditional suburban homes and taking on a variety of distinctive spatial concepts. The design freedom offered by 3D-printing creates homes that are both aesthetically and physically unique, providing unique design elements such as texture and form for each space.
ICON exists as a response to the global housing crisis and to put our technology in service to the world. Construction-scale 3D printing not only delivers higher-quality homes faster and more affordably, but fleets of printers can change the way that entire communities are built for the better. The United States faces a deficit of approximately 5 million new homes, so there is a profound need to swiftly increase supply without compromising quality, beauty, or sustainability and that is exactly the strength of our technology. It is an honor and a huge milestone for ICON to partner with Lennar, an elite top-tier homebuilder with a commitment to innovation. We believe this will be a watershed moment in the history of community-scale development and the future breaking into the present. -- Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON
Featured on Times’ Next 100, as one of the 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future, Jason Ballard, CEO and Co-Founder of ICON spoke to ArchDaily about the inception of the company, worldwide housing challenges, his ever-evolving 3D printing technology, and process, his partnership with BIG, and the future of the construction field on earth and in space.
