3D Printed Curved Homes Shape Desert Development In Texas

Large-scale 3D printing enables the distinctive curved walls of the El Cosmico Sunday Homes in Marfa, Texas. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), built by construction technology company ICON and developed with hotelier Liz Lambert, the residences form part of a hotel and housing development covering more than 60 acres.

Layered Walls Create Rounded Forms

ICON is constructing the buildings with its Vulcan Block 4 printing system. The process builds walls in successive layers, creating ribbed surfaces that remain visible inside and outside the homes. Digital fabrication allows the project team to produce flowing curves and cylindrical volumes that would be more complex to realise with conventional building methods.

Rather than treating the printed wall solely as a structural component, the design uses it to organise the interior. Rounded volumes contain private bedrooms and bathrooms, while open spaces between them accommodate shared living, kitchen and dining areas. Floor-to-ceiling windows visually connect these communal areas with the surrounding desert and views of the Davis Mountains.

The project illustrates how additive construction can expand the formal possibilities of architecture. It may also reduce the need for conventional formwork when producing curved geometries. However, ICON does not provide specific information on the composition, recycled content or environmental impact of the printable building material on the project page.

Two Residential Configurations

The Sunday Homes are available with either three or four bedrooms. The three-bedroom model covers approximately 188 square metres and includes two bathrooms. The larger four-bedroom version measures around 236 square metres and has three bathrooms.

Both layouts include a spacious living room, kitchen, dining area and an intimate reading nook. Outdoor facilities comprise a shower, hot tub, covered dining patio and custom-made woodwork. Flat roofs and large glazed openings contrast with the rounded, layered walls.

A Wider 3D Printed Development

The homes belong to what the project partners describe as the world’s first 3D printed hotel and development. Visualisations show clusters of cylindrical and dome-like structures distributed across the arid landscape. Although no completion date or final number of structures has been announced, the project demonstrates how robotic construction can move beyond isolated prototypes towards larger architectural developments.

For architects and interior designers, El Cosmico offers a practical exploration of how digitally deposited wall systems can combine structure, texture and spatial organisation in a single construction process.

Source & images: ICON