I stayed in a luxury 3D-printed home in Austin, Texas and I'm now convinced the tech is the future of home construction

Brittany ChangApr 3, 2022, 19:27 IST

Brittany Chang/Insider

Austin, Texas-based 3D printing construction company Icon unveiled its new 2,000-square-foot home, House Zero.
I spent a night in the luxurious home and I'm convinced 3D printing is the future of home construction.

I spent a night inside of a luxury 3D-printed home and now I'm convinced the technology has a place in the future of home construction.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In early March, 3D printing home construction company Icon unveiled House Zero, an over 2,000-square-foot 3D printed home in Austin, Texas.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The walls of the main home and its accessory dwelling unit were printed at the same time in eight days despite weather and hardware issues.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The team then spent five additional months finishing the rest of the home, like window installation, wiring, and plumbing.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And when it was completed, Icon invited me to spend a night in the new three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom build …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and the unique construction tech, curved concrete walls, and high-end finishes made House Zero one of the most uniquely designed homes I've ever stayed at.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Spending a night in House Zero made me realize that 3D printing homes can be a strategic and functional construction method while still producing beautiful yet comfortable homes.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Spending a night in House Zero made me realize that 3D printing homes can be a strategic and functional construction method while still producing beautiful yet comfortable homes.

Many 3D printing enthusiasts view the tech as a path toward alleviating our ongoing housing shortage and affordability crisis.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like House Zero, a home that could take about a year to build "traditionally" can be printed and completed in just several months …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… enabling home builders to construct housing cheaper, faster, and more sustainably by using fewer materials and less physical labor.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The technology might be being heralded as a way to build more affordable homes quicker, but House Zero is far from an example of a budget-friendly home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The house — designed with the help of Lake|Flato Architects — was styled to be a show home for Icon: A place to take investors, the public, and media.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It was meant to flex the range and practicality of Icon's printing technology, Jason Ballard, Icon's cofounder and CEO, told Insider in an interview.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And like all stereotypical model homes, House Zero is filled with high-end furniture and finishes that can woo even the most discerning visitors.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The rounded walls caught my attention as I drove by the Austin, Texas home for the first time …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and were the first feature my eyes gravitated towards when I finally stepped foot inside the house.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I was immediately taken aback by the beautiful interior design and concrete curved walls, which far exceeded my expectations of a 3D-printed home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

A building with this much exposed concrete is often associated with brutalist architecture, but nothing about House Zero screamed "brutalism" to me.

Brittany Chang/

The layered lavacrete — Icon's in-house "high strength" concrete — combined with the curved wall design made House Zero look organic and free-flowing.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Up until this build I had never seen a layered sloping wall before. And now, I want something similar in my future home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And it's not just for aesthetic reasons. The shape strengthens the home's structure while serving as a natural open-aired separation of space.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Icon's 3D printing technology enables it to easily print curved walls, a feat that would be remarkably more difficult if done using "traditional" construction methods.

Brittany Chang/Insider

"We're not only going to invent robots, we're also going to invent architecture," Ballard said. "And it's not clear that robotics companies have any business inventing architecture."

Brittany Chang/Insider

"We're not only going to invent robots, we're also going to invent architecture," Ballard said. "And it's not clear that robotics companies have any business inventing architecture."

Curvature aside, the striking layered walls — which were strengthened with steel and insulation — were unlike anything I had seen inside a home before.

Brittany Chang/Insider

There was no need for art on the walls — the grey layers naturally became a focal point of the home's rooms ...

Brittany Chang/Insider

… while the wooden walls and accents kept the space from appearing too cold and drab.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The first room off the entryway is the open-concept kitchen, living room, and dining room.

Brittany Chang/Insider

To create natural separations of space, these areas were all sectioned off using the concave shape of the walls.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The dining room was enveloped in a cocoon of concrete, creating an alluring and modern space.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I had never seen a room like this before, and it instantly became my favorite part of the home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Because it was only partially sectioned off, the dining room still flowed into the kitchen and the living room.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Coming from a New York City apartment, the kitchen in House Zero felt especially large …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and had all the amenities of a luxury kitchen, including a walk-in pantry.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It also opened perfectly into the living room, which had comfortable seats and a wall-mounted television hidden behind a tapestry.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This would've been the perfect space for entertaining, but I was, after all, staying in someone else's home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

A sizable workstation was located just behind this common space. I don’t enjoy facing a wall while I work, but there’s no denying this corner was beautifully designed and curated.

Brittany Chang/Insider

A sizable workstation was located just behind this common space. I don’t enjoy facing a wall while I work, but there’s no denying this corner was beautifully designed and curated.

The hallway directly behind this space leads into the half-bathroom and primary bedroom.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The home has three bedrooms, and I opted to sleep in the largest one with an en-suite bathroom.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The bathroom far surpassed the ones I've seen inside a hotel or Airbnb.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The focal point of the room was the shower and bathtub, which sat in their own space separated by a small glass panel.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This bathing space also had a concave wall. But unlike the living room, the concrete layers were covered with a smooth grey finish.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The bathtub and shower relied on a touchscreen panel to control the water and its temperature, a tech-forward feature I had never used before.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But other than spending a few seconds learning how to use this system, I continued about my nighttime routine like I would in a "normal" home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And the primary bedroom where I slept was just that, a bedroom. Although it was accented with this wavy printed wall.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like the primary bathroom, the half bathroom's layered concrete walls were covered in a similarly smooth but dark finish, creating a cave-like space.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The second full bathroom was located at the other end of the home between the two additional bedrooms, although one had been converted into a home office.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I spent most of my night in the primary bedroom and living room, so I didn't frequent this half of the house.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But the morning light that streamed into the bedroom-turned-office beautifully highlighted its walls and wooden finishes.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And after a good night's rest, my stay inside the 3D printed home wrapped up without a single mishap.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In retrospect, I definitely gawked at the unique construction throughout my first few hours in the home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But after the awe of staying inside a 3D printed abode wore off, the reality of my surroundings settled in.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In reality, House Zero was nothing more than a home filled with luxurious furniture and high-end finishes constructed in a unique manner.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It's comfortable, perfectly livable, and unfussy. I had no difficulties or an adjustment period trying to make myself at home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I didn't feel like I was missing anything. There were plenty of outlets, bright lights, and endless storage options, everything that I could possibly want in a home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Sure the furniture is nice, and sure they use fancy Aesop hand soap, but at the end of the day, the pretty home is just that, a typical (luxury) home.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The only feature that differentiated it from any other high-end home was its layered and curved walls.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And in retrospect, that's exactly what I was hoping for: a normal house.

Brittany Chang/

The 3D printing home construction technology is still in its infancy, but it already has the potential to build homes quickly, inexpensively, and sustainably.

Brittany Chang/Insider

We're currently in a dire housing and homelessness crisis, and 3D printing seems to be a viable solution to this massive issue.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And if that's the case, we should begin accepting that this efficient construction method could become the future of homebuilding.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And for those who don't like change, House Zero proves that the tech can produce the type of homes we've grown used, just with a slightly cooler look and in a more efficient manner.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And for those who don't like change, House Zero proves that the tech can produce the type of homes we've grown used, just with a slightly cooler look and in a more efficient manner.

"I don't wanna build a worse world faster and cheaper," Ballard said. "I want to build a better world faster and cheaper."

Brittany Chang/Insider

I spent a week on Trump's new social media app Truth Social. I felt like I was exploring a ghost town.

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I stayed in a luxury 3D-printed home in Austin, Texas and I'm now convinced the tech is the future of home construction

I spent a night inside of a luxury 3D-printed home and now I'm convinced the technology has a place in the future of home construction.

In early March, 3D printing home construction company Icon unveiled House Zero, an over 2,000-square-foot 3D printed home in Austin, Texas.

The walls of the main home and its accessory dwelling unit were printed at the same time in eight days despite weather and hardware issues.

The team then spent five additional months finishing the rest of the home, like window installation, wiring, and plumbing.

And when it was completed, Icon invited me to spend a night in the new three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom build …

… and the unique construction tech, curved concrete walls, and high-end finishes made House Zero one of the most uniquely designed homes I've ever stayed at.

Spending a night in House Zero made me realize that 3D printing homes can be a strategic and functional construction method while still producing beautiful yet comfortable homes.

Many 3D printing enthusiasts view the tech as a path toward alleviating our ongoing housing shortage and affordability crisis.

Like House Zero, a home that could take about a year to build "traditionally" can be printed and completed in just several months …

… enabling home builders to construct housing cheaper, faster, and more sustainably by using fewer materials and less physical labor.

The technology might be being heralded as a way to build more affordable homes quicker, but House Zero is far from an example of a budget-friendly home.

The house — designed with the help of Lake|Flato Architects — was styled to be a show home for Icon: A place to take investors, the public, and media.

It was meant to flex the range and practicality of Icon's printing technology, Jason Ballard, Icon's cofounder and CEO, told Insider in an interview.

And like all stereotypical model homes, House Zero is filled with high-end furniture and finishes that can woo even the most discerning visitors.

The rounded walls caught my attention as I drove by the Austin, Texas home for the first time …

… and were the first feature my eyes gravitated towards when I finally stepped foot inside the house.

I was immediately taken aback by the beautiful interior design and concrete curved walls, which far exceeded my expectations of a 3D-printed home.

A building with this much exposed concrete is often associated with brutalist architecture, but nothing about House Zero screamed "brutalism" to me.

The layered lavacrete — Icon's in-house "high strength" concrete — combined with the curved wall design made House Zero look organic and free-flowing.

Up until this build I had never seen a layered sloping wall before. And now, I want something similar in my future home.

And it's not just for aesthetic reasons. The shape strengthens the home's structure while serving as a natural open-aired separation of space.

Icon's 3D printing technology enables it to easily print curved walls, a feat that would be remarkably more difficult if done using "traditional" construction methods.

"We're not only going to invent robots, we're also going to invent architecture," Ballard said. "And it's not clear that robotics companies have any business inventing architecture."

Curvature aside, the striking layered walls — which were strengthened with steel and insulation — were unlike anything I had seen inside a home before.

There was no need for art on the walls — the grey layers naturally became a focal point of the home's rooms ...

… while the wooden walls and accents kept the space from appearing too cold and drab.

The first room off the entryway is the open-concept kitchen, living room, and dining room.

To create natural separations of space, these areas were all sectioned off using the concave shape of the walls.

The dining room was enveloped in a cocoon of concrete, creating an alluring and modern space.

I had never seen a room like this before, and it instantly became my favorite part of the home.

Because it was only partially sectioned off, the dining room still flowed into the kitchen and the living room.

Coming from a New York City apartment, the kitchen in House Zero felt especially large …

… and had all the amenities of a luxury kitchen, including a walk-in pantry.

It also opened perfectly into the living room, which had comfortable seats and a wall-mounted television hidden behind a tapestry.

This would've been the perfect space for entertaining, but I was, after all, staying in someone else's home.

A sizable workstation was located just behind this common space. I don’t enjoy facing a wall while I work, but there’s no denying this corner was beautifully designed and curated.

The hallway directly behind this space leads into the half-bathroom and primary bedroom.

The home has three bedrooms, and I opted to sleep in the largest one with an en-suite bathroom.

The bathroom far surpassed the ones I've seen inside a hotel or Airbnb.

The focal point of the room was the shower and bathtub, which sat in their own space separated by a small glass panel.

This bathing space also had a concave wall. But unlike the living room, the concrete layers were covered with a smooth grey finish.

The bathtub and shower relied on a touchscreen panel to control the water and its temperature, a tech-forward feature I had never used before.

But other than spending a few seconds learning how to use this system, I continued about my nighttime routine like I would in a "normal" home.

And the primary bedroom where I slept was just that, a bedroom. Although it was accented with this wavy printed wall.

Like the primary bathroom, the half bathroom's layered concrete walls were covered in a similarly smooth but dark finish, creating a cave-like space.

The second full bathroom was located at the other end of the home between the two additional bedrooms, although one had been converted into a home office.

I spent most of my night in the primary bedroom and living room, so I didn't frequent this half of the house.

But the morning light that streamed into the bedroom-turned-office beautifully highlighted its walls and wooden finishes.

And after a good night's rest, my stay inside the 3D printed home wrapped up without a single mishap.

In retrospect, I definitely gawked at the unique construction throughout my first few hours in the home.

But after the awe of staying inside a 3D printed abode wore off, the reality of my surroundings settled in.

In reality, House Zero was nothing more than a home filled with luxurious furniture and high-end finishes constructed in a unique manner.

It's comfortable, perfectly livable, and unfussy. I had no difficulties or an adjustment period trying to make myself at home.

I didn't feel like I was missing anything. There were plenty of outlets, bright lights, and endless storage options, everything that I could possibly want in a home.

Sure the furniture is nice, and sure they use fancy Aesop hand soap, but at the end of the day, the pretty home is just that, a typical (luxury) home.

The only feature that differentiated it from any other high-end home was its layered and curved walls.

And in retrospect, that's exactly what I was hoping for: a normal house.

The 3D printing home construction technology is still in its infancy, but it already has the potential to build homes quickly, inexpensively, and sustainably.

We're currently in a dire housing and homelessness crisis, and 3D printing seems to be a viable solution to this massive issue.

And if that's the case, we should begin accepting that this efficient construction method could become the future of homebuilding.

And for those who don't like change, House Zero proves that the tech can produce the type of homes we've grown used, just with a slightly cooler look and in a more efficient manner.

"I don't wanna build a worse world faster and cheaper," Ballard said. "I want to build a better world faster and cheaper."