World's largest 3D printed neighborhood nearly done in Texas
- This community of 3D printed houses is nearing completion
- The Texan suburb will be the largest 3D printed neighborhood in the world
- Houses are already being bought
Published on Aug 14, 2024 at 11:25 AM (UTC-4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Aug 15, 2024 at 9:24 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This 3D printed neighborhood in Texas is almost complete – and set to be the largest in the world.
The project was first announced in 2021 as a collaboration between sustainable building start-up ICON, housebuilding company Lennar, and designer BIG.
The companies wanted to print 100 homes in the Austin neighborhood of Georgetown.
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The suburbs of the future
Construction on the Wolf Ranch Community began in November 2022, with the final stage drawing near.
According to an article in Parametric Architecture, some residents have already started moving in, and more than a quarter of homes have been sold.
The houses are printed using a 4.75-ton Vulcan 3D printer, which uses a mixture of concrete powder, sand, water, and other materials.
Each of these single-story, three to four-bedroom houses takes around three weeks to build.
When up for sale, they go for between $450,000 and $600,000, according to Planetizen.
ICON has previously built homes for low-income families in Latin America – those houses could be printed in under a day.
Why Texas isn’t the only place getting the 3D printing treatment
As it currently stands, making an entire suburb through 3D printing remains a somewhat novel idea.
However, it isn’t a total outlier.
The University of Maine developed the world’s largest 3D printer, which is capable of creating an entire home in less than 80 hours.
Whilst a bigger home would take a few months, a single-story house being ready in a matter of days is impressive no matter how you slice it.
It seems like there’s no limit to what 3D printers are capable of nowadays.
One TikToker created a fully functional Iron Man suit, and it’s seriously impressive stuff.
Then there’s the people capable of using a printer to make cars out of carbon fiber.
Of course, then there’s the rest of us just getting to grips with regular printers.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
