In collaboration with ICON and the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Lennar is building the Wolf Ranch in the hills of Georgetown created with “advanced materials, engineering, and 3D robotics,” which purportedly make the buildings stronger, more resilient, and better energy-efficient, according to the companies.
The WinePress highlighted the early beginnings of this venture a little over a year ago.
Builder reported at the time:
‘With precise robotic construction, the wall systems are delivered with accuracy and reduced waste and are designed to be resistant to water, mold, termites, and fire damage. In structural tests, ICON reports the wall system exceeded strength requirements by more than 350%.’
‘Each home is then topped with a standing seam metal roof, designed to be durable, energy-efficient, fire-resistant, and equipped with all-weather photovoltaic solar panels.’ the publication added.
Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO at ICON, said in a statement roughly two years ago when construction began:
For the first time in the history of the world, what we’re witnessing here is a fleet of robots building an entire community of homes.
And not just any homes, homes that are better in every way … better design, higher strength, higher energy performance and comfort, and increased resiliency.
Stuart Miller, executive chairman of Lennar, also announced at the time:
We are very pleased to partner with ICON and BIG in building a first-of-its-kind, printed-home community that combines innovative designs with sustainable features at an affordable price.
Given the housing shortage that persists across the country, it has never been more important to innovate in order to find new methods of construction that will enable greater design flexibility and greater production at affordable prices.
Now this 100-home suburb is almost finished as new residents begin to move in. Business Insider did a full story on its development and interviewed some of those who have begun to settle into these new innovative dwellings:
3D printed houses may sound like they’re from a future filled with hoverboards and holograms. For Daniella Glaeze, she’s already living it. Glaeze began documenting her 3D printed home on TikTok shortly after moving into it in April. Her videos showing off the futuristic concrete house have garnered several million views — and questions.
“I’m definitely excited to bring some of this content to viewers and anyone interested in seeing the process and how these homes work,” Glaeze told Business Insider in an interview over the summer.
According to Icon, 95 of the homes already had their wall systems printed as of July and all 100 are expected to be complete by 2025. However, residents like Glaeze have already begun to move in.
The homes are built using a massive gantry-style printer, called the Vulcan Construction System, which spans 45.5 feet wide and 15.5 feet tall.
In one TikTok with over 4 million views, Glaeze toured her home, which has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a garage. Several commenters were worried about the potential of grime settling in the ribbed wall ridges, one writing, “I can’t stop thinking about all the dust that would collect on the walls.”
However, Glaeze reassured that despite the unmistakable grooves, she had yet to encounter any dust build-up. She said that a wipe or handheld vacuum has gotten the job done.
“The ridges on the wall are not like little shelves, they’re very thin,” she said. “Even if dust were to collect, I don’t think it’d be very noticeable, and the walls are very easy to clean, honestly.”
The simple solution seemed to be mirrored in most of her responses to other questions people brought up. Yes, you can hang things on the wall using a concrete bit. Yes, you can paint the walls with an airbrush. And yes, you can make the walls flat by sanding or using plaster.
“The walls are the only thing that are concrete and printed in the foundation,” Glaeze said. “Everything else, like the electricity, the roof, the doors — they’re all like a traditional home.”
In fact, the only issue she has come across has been a spotty WiFi connection due to the thick concrete material, which she has combated with a WiFi booster.
“My favorite thing about living in a 3D printed house is really the aesthetic,” Glaeze said. “I think it’s really cool; it’s something new that’s also different and innovative.”
Glaze said she loves how the curved walls make “the whole house feel very seamless and clean” and has been experimenting with different light fixtures that “reflect really cool with the layers.”
“It’s really cool to see how people get creative with decorating the home,” she said. “I have a neighbor who’s playing with different light and textures and abstract art that pops off the walls.”
Glaeze also said the thick concrete material, dubbed “lavacrete” by Icon, is not only well-insulated to keep temperatures cool against the Texas heat, but has also been “really sturdy” against rainstorms and outside noise.
“They have a lot of drills and heavy machinery outside, and I don’t hear anything,” she said. “I am sensitive to super loud sounds so being in this house is so quiet and so peaceful.”
Icon said its wall systems had been tested against hurricane standard winds and also announced in March a new formulation of lavacrete called CarbonX, a lower carbon emission cement material that will be used for the remaining wall systems.
Since the homes in this neighborhood are being sold by Lennar, their pricing is dictated by the current market, Icon said. According to the company’s website, the homes currently available range from just over $489,000 to $508,890 — with more homes on the way.
According to the company, its robotic system typically requires two people to operate, and each wall system in Wolf Ranch took, on average, two weeks to complete.
“One thing that Icon told me is they do want to combat the housing crisis,” Glaeze said. “They want to have more affordable and efficient homes.”
In a follow-up interview with BI in November, Glaeze said the neighborhood “is growing rapidly.” While cell service continues to be a struggle, she said she “wouldn’t trade it for anything.” “All in all, it’s the best decision we’ve made!”
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Are you going to live in one of these homes? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
On one hand, this seems real sketchy and I would be a bit jaded to trust it; but on the other hand, with the cheap, rushed quality of the typical American home nowadays, including those built by Lennar that churns these homes out as fast as they can, perhaps these new style of homes are better in some ways. In the end, I’d rather have my home built by people.
Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
How would homes such as these be repaired should they need to be? I want to be able to fix and repair my home if need be, not be beholden to the builder to make obscure fixes.
This is another example of physical labor being slowly and incrementally phased-out. This will still take a while for ambitions such as this to become more mainstream, but it is happening and should not be ignored. Nevertheless, I still encourage you to learn a number of handiness skills as these will still be the most profitable and worthwhile as the years roll by.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Matthew 7:24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
^ It could come to this point for the body of Christ. 1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Not careful about what will happen to me.
” . . . the homes currently available range from just over $489,000 to $508,890 — . . . ” and, ” . . . “They want to have more affordable and efficient homes.”<—-You failed.
UGH!
Yeah, that’s even more expensive than a lot of the current homes on the market in the state and nationally!
I saw this awhile ago and it was done with concrete, if thats true, it would be very strong and with truss style roofing would do good in storms like hurricanes. Not sure what these are?
Pretty pricey though and I’d have to see how it would hold up to storms and flying debris.
To me it looks sturdy, but cold and bland, not sure I would pay that anytime soon!
No warmth, no charm, no unique design. Architecturally devoid and decidedly unhuman. I have stayed in motel rooms with more appeal.
On the plus side it seems like these houses are a lot better at shielding the inhabitants from EM fields which is something some people spend a fortune doing to normal houses anyways. However half a million dollars is still crazy. Considering how new and “efficient” 3d printing is I would expect the marketed products to be cheaper than the traditional ones not more expensive.
If I had no other choice I probably would live in one of these. For one, the concrete can block millimeter waves. If these are as sturdy as they say, the shelter could also serve as a defense castle when things start to get crazy, like deterring bullets and Molotov cocktails. Am I for robots taking over construction jobs? No, but it’s inevitable. Area-wise, I would rather have it situated outside the city. Would I prefer learning how to build my own log cabin, than having robots do it? Yes.
$500,000 home?????
The two points I see are less workers getting paid and more profits going to the builder
Who will buy these at these prices?
Not me
Going to push the blue collar worker to rely on the govt
VERRRY CREEEPY..! LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THE FRAUD ELON MUSK WOULD BUILD. HIS CARS ARE CREEPY, HE WEARS DEVIL COSTUMES, IS NOT A PATRIOT and these houses are verry cureepy
i would never live in these cookie cutter hive fake homes.