World's first 3D-printed hotel rises in the Texas desert

Following its reveal earlier this year, leading 3D-printed architecture firm Icon is now busy constructing its ambitious El Cosmico campground hotel project in the Texas desert. Billed as the world's first 3D-printed hotel, it will include camping areas, vacation homes, and shared amenities – plus some permanent starchitect-designed residences for sale too.

Created in collaboration with high-profile architecture firm the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), El Cosmico is a dramatic expansion and reimagining of the existing El Cosmico campground hotel on a property measuring over 60 acres (24.3 hectares) that situated on the outskirts of Marfa.

It will consist of impressively curving and dome-topped vacation dwellings that draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape, plus tent areas, a central swimming pool, and communal facilities.

There will also be some permanent homes designed by BIG, with up to four bedrooms that boast expansive views of the local scenery. These homes will be up for sale, starting at a cool US$2.29 million. Additionally, there will be some affordable 3D-printed housing for the local community, including some that are being chosen following a worldwide design competition hosted by Icon.

"Our design for the new El Cosmico is a conversation between El Cosmico's past and future," explains BIG boss Bjarke Ingels. "By testing the geometric boundaries of Icon's 3D-printed construction, we have imagined fluid, curvilinear structures that enjoy the freedom of form in the empty desert. By using the sand, soils, and colors of the terroir as our print medium, the circular forms seem to emerge from the very land on which they stand. We are honored to join [El Cosmico founder] Liz Lambert in reimagining desert luxury as something distilled to its purest form: raw, honest, and in harmony with the surrounding environment."

The construction process is making use of Icon's own Vulcan 3D-printing system. This was also used in the Wolf Ranch and Wimberly Springs projects and consists of large 3D printers overseen by human operators. Each printer extrudes a proprietary cement-like mixture called Lavacrete out of a nozzle in layers to build up the basic structures of the residences. Once the printing process is complete, human builders will then come in and complete the buildings by adding roofs, wiring, windows, and anything else required.

The El Cosmico expansion is set to be completed by 2026.

Source: Icon