AUSTIN, Texas — A first-of-its-kind, 3D-printed house in East Austin, named "House Zero," will be available for tours during SXSW this month. House Zero was printed by ICON, a technology company that works in large-scale 3D printing, and designed by architecture firm Lake|Flato Architects.
House Zero is a mid-century modern ranch house that's designed with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind. ICON's "Vulcan" construction technology printed the 2,000-square-foot home, and there's a chance more will be added on digitally.
The 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home also has an accessory unit with another bath and bedroom. ICON said biophilic principles, or "the way that humans connect with nature and nature-inspired compositions," are at the core of the design.
During the construction, ICON's 3D-printed wall system used ecofriendly materials to save time, waste and money. The curved walls in the home were chosen for their structural efficiency, while doorways and windows were placed strategically to make the most of landscape and light opportunity.
The home was unveiled Wednesday as a part of ICON's Exploration Series. ICON co-founder and CEO Jason Ballard will deliver a talk at SXSW on how "architecture, design, robotics and sustainability" will be at the forefront of future construction, according to a release.
ICON previously announced plans to break ground on a 100-home, 3D-printed community in the Austin-area sometime this year. They developed their first 3D-printed home in 2018.
"It's Time to Build: a Conversation with Jason Ballard" will take place March 15 at 2:30 p.m. at the Hilton Downtown. You can found out more on the SXSW ICON event page.
Home Zero will be open for tours March 13 and 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can sign up for a time to tour the home on the event page.
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