Welcome to the hotel stay of the future.
The world’s first 3D-printed hotel is opening just outside the desert town of Marfa, Texas, and the project is breaking ground next year.
Consisting of several large-scale 3D-printed buildings, the hotel features an infinity pool, spa and artist studio.
Inspired by the surrounding desert landscape and cosmos, it will be built by pioneering 3D printing company Icon, which is currently under contract with NASA to build homes on the moon and Mars.
The hotel is on site El Cosmocoa pre-existing ‘nomadic’ hotel and camping site where guests stay overnight in caravans, tepees and safari tents.
The world’s first 3D-printed hotel (shown in the render above) is expected to open outside the desert town of Marfa, Texas, with the project set to break ground next year
The hotel will consist of several large-scale 3D-printed buildings, including an infinity-style pool, spa and artist studio
The project, led by hotelier Liz Lambert, is a collaboration between Icon and world-renowned architectural firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group).
Once complete, the project will expand the El Cosmico site from 21 acres (eight hectares) to 60 acres (24 hectares).
With a color palette inspired by the desert terrain, the new hotel will feel “as if it was literally lifted from where it stands,” say the architects.
As part of the retreat, 3D printed houses – called Sunday Homes – will be featured on the site. A statement notes that these two, three and four bedroom homes, ranging in size from 1,200 square feet (111 square meters) to 2,200 square feet (204 square meters), will have “expanding views” of the nearby Davis Mountains.
The retreat is being built by pioneering 3D printing company Icon, which is currently under contract with NASA to build the first homes on the Moon and Mars
The design of the new hotel will feature organic curves, domes, arches and vaults, realized through 3D printing robotics and specialized software
As part of the retreat, 3D printed houses – called Sunday Homes – will be featured on the site
Camping El Cosmico was founded ‘with the conviction that life should be a balance between adventure and idleness’.
Not only does it offer guests “access to the majesty of the high plains desert,” it is also home to the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music and Love – billed as an “intimate, multi-day, multi-media festival of sensory delights, held under the expansive sky of the Chihuahuan Desert’.
Commenting on the new hotel project, Liz Lambert said: ‘For many years I have had a vision for the evolution of El Cosmico, which includes different spaces that add to the experience for both guests and locals – a swimming pool, a hammam and more space for art and skills workshops.
The designers are also creating a 3D-printed outdoor performance pavilion (shown in the rendition above) at The Long Center for The Performing Arts in Austin
The Austin Pavilion “parallels and reflects architectural design themes – cosmic organizations, perfect geometries and organic forms – planned for the new El Cosmico in Marfa”
This view shows an aerial view of the pavilion. A statement notes: ‘Icon’s technology excels at creating soft shapes and curved surfaces’
Pictured from left is Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of Icon; hotelier Liz Lambert and Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG
“By collaborating with the revolutionary thinkers at BIG and Icon, not only can I fulfill this dream, but we can do it using this incredible 3D printing technology that combines the oldest principles of rough building on earth with a futuristic technology it works faster, more sustainably and more efficiently than modern construction. In addition, the innovation and beauty of the types of structures we can build extend far beyond the frames. It’s fitting that Icon has a contract with NASA to build the first homes on the moon and on Mars. I’m excited that we can discover their incredible work here in our own little cosmic landscape under the stars in faraway West Texas.”
Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG, said: ‘Our partnership with El Cosmico and Icon has enabled us to pursue the formal and material possibilities of advanced 3D-printed construction, beyond the traditional constraints of a conventional site. or customer. ‘
While Icon co-founder and CEO Jason Ballard added, “The truly unique and diverse architectures enabled by 3D printing are just the beginning.”
In addition to reinventing El Cosmico, the designers are exploring 3D printing affordable housing in the city of Marfa and creating a 3D printed outdoor performance pavilion at The Long Center for The Performing Arts in Austin. According to a statement, this pavilion “runs parallel and reflects architectural design themes – cosmic organizations, perfect geometries and organic forms – planned for the new El Cosmico.”
The 3D-printed retreat will begin taking reservations in summer 2023 – visit iconbuild.com/el-cosmico-homes.