Details have been revealed for a pioneering new housing community taking shape in the Austin area. A new community of 3D-printed homes, first teased in 2021 but with an undisclosed location, will come to Georgetown with reservations beginning in 2023.
Continuing its partnership with Lennar, Austin-based ICON has already broken ground on what will be the largest community of 3D-printed homes in the world.
Just north of Wolf Ranch by Hillwood Communities, another master-planned neighborhood in the Austin suburb, the new 100-home community will feature technologically advanced, environmentally sustainable, and architecturally striking homes with prices starting from the mid-$400,000s.
“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,” said Stuart Miller, executive chairman of Lennar, in a release. “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.”
ICON's fleet of Vulcan robotic construction systems, along with cutting-edge software and advanced materials, enable the company to sustainably build new communities at speed and at scale, producing each home with less waste and more design freedom. Co-designed by architectural firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, the new community will feature energy-efficient designs without sacrificing elevated architectural elements, blending contemporary Texas ranch style aesthetics.
“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,” said Jason Ballard, ICON co-founder and CEO, in the release. “In the future, I believe robots and drones will build entire neighborhoods, towns, and cities, and we’ll look back at Lennar’s Wolf Ranch community as the place where robotic construction at scale began. We still have a long way to go, but I believe this marks a very exciting and hopeful turn in the way we address housing issues in the world.”
Offering eight floor plans and 24 unique elevations, the homes will feature three to four bedrooms and two to three baths. Rooftop solar panels will mean each each home is not only sustainably built, but sustainably powered. Security features will include both Lennar's Connected Home package (a Ring Video Doorbell Pro, a Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi deadbolt, and a Honeywell Home T6 Pro Wi-Fi smart thermostat) and a Wolf Ranch security package.
“Hillwood Communities is honored that ICON and Lennar chose Wolf Ranch to launch this exciting initiative and we look forward to the positive impact it will bring to the homebuilding industry,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Communities, in a release. “This innovative approach aligns with Hillwood’s long history of elevated design and the thoughtful development approach we take to ensure a higher standard of living for the residents of our communities."
New homeowners in the 3D-printed community at Wolf Ranch will also enjoy all the amenities of the neighborhood, including pools, recreational trails and parks, and the short drive to downtown Austin.
“We are excited to welcome Lennar and ICON's cutting-edge home construction technology to Georgetown,” Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder said in the release. “The Georgetown community prides itself on honoring our past and innovating for our future, and we are eager to see the future being built right here.”
Reservations begin in 2023, and interested homebuyers can join the interest list at Lennar.com.
