El Cosmico’s luxury camping complex in Texas is about to be expanded with 3D printed bedrooms and swimming pools .
Icon construction company has announced a partnership with hotel brand El Cosmico to expand camping and tourism in Marfa, Texas (USA). The special thing is that the bedrooms, swimming pool, spa room and utility area are 3D printed with Icon’s printer .
El Cosmico’s campsite expansion project is expected to start in 2024 on an area of 26.3 hectares. Meanwhile, the old site with an area of about 8.5 hectares will add 30-50 bedrooms at a cheaper price, also 3D printed.
The cheap bedroom has a simple design with a small area, including one bed. According to Business Insider, these walls take about 4-8 days to print, while larger structures can take 2 weeks.
The resort was designed by architecture firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) with soft arches and curves, creating a pleasant feeling, close to nature.
Without 3D printers, these curved structures are “nearly impossible to build, unless the cost is increased tenfold,” said Jason Ballard, CEO of Icon.
This is also Icon’s first construction project with swimming pool, spa and facilities for visitors such as bathrooms, restaurants and event spaces.
To build the resort, Icon will deploy five high-capacity 3D printers called Vulcan . The device can spray layers of special materials, developed by the company itself called Lavacrete .
“We think that new designs can be made possible through 3D printing. This project will be a clear demonstration,” Ballard said.
In early 2022, Icon completed House Zero , a 3D printed luxury house in Texas with an area of about 185m2 . The company has made an impression in the young, but fast-growing 3D printing industry.
Icon is also 3D printing 100 homes in Wolf Ranch, Texas for about 0,000 each. When completed, it will be the largest 3D printed residential complex ever built.
Prices for 3D printed bedrooms at El Cosmico campground have not been announced. However, the company representative said that this service is only for customers with a rich budget.