Inside the village that's entirely 3D printed
Welcome to the future...

For style leaders and design lovers.
Thank you for signing up to LivingEtc. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
A village in a Northeast Austin neighbourhood in Texas is being built by a 3D printer.
Named the Community First Village, the cluster of 400-square-foot tiny houses were built to help tackle homelessness in the most expensive city in Texas.
The 51-acre development (which will eventually include more than 500 homes) provides affordable permanent housing, including theses new 3-D printed homes. So far the village has provided housing for 180 formerly homeless people, while also providing jobs on-site and charging $300 (£233) in monthly rent.
The company behind the advanced technology is Austin-based Icon, and their 3D printer, named Vulcan II, has been revolutionising the housing industry as it's speeding up the build process, while also making it cheaper. The printer, which is remotely controlled by a tablet, is electrically powered and needs a crew of just four to six people to build a house. The printer is capable of printing structures as large as 2,000 square feet.
The 3D printer can print three houses simultaneously, and complete the walls in just over 24 hours.The Vulcan II prints out layers of Lavacrete, Icon's custom proprietary concrete that is reportedly cheaper than typical building materials, and more resilient too.
The process cuts the time and cost in half, when compared to traditional construction, plus it limits the environmental footprint and trims the number of workers needed. The process also allows for more design freedom.
Each of the 400-square-foot homes has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room.
For now, the printer produces the walls of the home, while the rest of the construction is more traditional, with professionals laying a foundation and adding in features like a roof and windows, although Icon is considering adding plumbing and electrical work to the printer.
Icon first used the technology in Mexico last year, where it built two 500-square-foot homes and charged residents just $20 in rent.
The Texas-based startup is hoping that 3D printing is the key to solving the US' homelessness crisis and lack of affordable housing.
We're sure the technology will soon be adopted internationally. Could this be the answer to the world's homeless and refugee crisis? Who knows, but here's to hoping.
The Livingetc Newsletter
For style leaders and design lovers.
Lotte is the Digital Editor for Livingetc, and has been with the website since its launch. She has a background in online journalism and writing for SEO, with previous editor roles at Good Living, Good Housekeeping, Country & Townhouse, and BBC Good Food among others, as well as her own successful interiors blog. When she's not busy writing or tracking analytics, she's doing up houses, two of which have features in interior design magazines. She's just finished doing up her house in Wimbledon, and is eyeing up Bath for her next project.
-
-
6 things you'll always find in people's homes who have super organized kitchens
Keep on top of clutter with these six organizing tools that no kitchen should go without
By Lilith Hudson Published
-
5 easy DIY remedies for dying houseplants - we're not going to let you lose them
Have a weak and dull-looking plant that seems to be dying? These DIY home remedies could bring it back to life
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari Published
-
Black Friday furniture deals: these are the places we're most excited to shop at this year, at up to 80% off
Find the best places to shop for furniture deals this Black Friday, plus a curated pick of the Livingetc editors' favorite discount discoveries
By Hugh Metcalf Published
-
Black Friday bedding deals you won't want to miss: up to 50% off luxury bedding
Upgrade your bedding and get ready to hit hibernation mode with our pick of the best Black Friday bedding sales, including discounts at Liberty, John Lewis, Amara, and more
By Amy Lockwood Published
-
The simple way to a more sustainable and stylish life with Fisher & Paykel
This incredible new tech saves time, energy and has become the washing machine you need to know about
By Sponsored Published
-
Forget Cottagecore - Flora Fantasia by House of Hackney is Cottage hardcore
House of Hackney's Flora Fantasia collection blends the romanticised rural aesthetic with riotous punk elements
By Jacky Parker Published
-
Bert & May's new hexagon tiles collection is tapping into one of this year's biggest micro trends
Tap into the microtrend for hexagon tiles and make myriad patterns with this new collection from Bert & May
By Jacky Parker Published
-
Matthew Williamson’s tip for renovating a house on a budget is so simple, but incredibly effective
Renovating a house on a budget? See the savvy ways to control costs when managing an interior redesign
By Jacky Parker Published
-
The fabulous new Matthew Williamson furniture collection is a cocktail of color and print
This decorative Matthew Williamson furniture is the beautiful result of collaboration with Roome London
By Jacky Parker Published
-
Out & Out's new furniture collection is full of stylish storage solutions
This stylish storage will have your home organised in a jiffy - whatever its size
By Jacky Parker Published