An entire apartment block will be printed in Texas using 3D printers

Icon, an American startup specializing in construction with the help of 3D printers, announced the launch of the largest project in this area. The company has signed a contract with developer Lennar and architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group, under which the partners will build 100 private residential buildings in the suburbs of Austin, Texas. Construction will begin early next year.

Icon uses Vulcan 3D printers that run on specialized software. The construction process uses a proprietary Lavacrete mix that is used to build foundations, walls and roofs of buildings. The computer system can construct buildings of up to 278 square meters. Buildings of this size are erected in 12 to 24 hours. An additional option for the company is to place solar panels on the roof of each house.

Almost all work processes in Icon are robotic. The operating system autonomously converts architectural drawings of the future building into 3D prints and controls the 3D printer during construction. Algorithms with elements of artificial intelligence are used to register 3D-printers' errors in real time, notify builders of problems and accelerate the construction of new buildings. Once the printer is finished, workers make cosmetic repairs, install doors and windows, and connect electricity and water.

Prices for housing in the new block have not yet been announced, but last year the exact same buildings cost between $40,000 and $450,000, depending on client requirements.

Source: dwell

Illustration: iconbuild