It looks like an ordinary 3D printer, but at the size of a crane, it’s layer by layer building a hotel in the Texan desert. El Cosmico, a hotel and campground located on the outskirts of Marfa, Texas, is expanding by adding 43 new hotel units and 18 residential homes across 60 acres—all using a 3D printer.
According to El Cosmico owner Liz Lambert and the project’s partners—Austin-based 3D printing company ICON and renowned architects Bjarke Ingels Group—this marks the world’s first 3D-printed hotel. Lambert noted that the technology opens up new creative possibilities.
“Most hotels are confined within four walls, and often you’re building the same unit repeatedly,” Lambert explained. “I’ve never had the opportunity to build with such few constraints and so much fluidity. The curves, domes, and parabolas—it’s a crazy way to build.”
Lambert added that the technology allows for architectural features that would typically be too costly to reproduce on a large scale using traditional construction methods. The first two units being constructed are a three-bedroom residential space and a single-room hotel unit, featuring 12-foot (3.7-meter) high, curving beige walls.
These walls are being built by ICON’s Vulcan, a massive 3D printer that measures 14.2 meters wide, stands 4.7 meters high, and weighs 4.75 tonnes. As the Vulcan’s robotic arm and nozzle glide over the construction site on a gantry, a print technician monitors the process. The printer uses a specialized cement-based material called Lavacrete, designed for durability, scalability, and ease of printing. ICON’s CEO and founder, Jason Ballard, mentioned that the ingredients of Lavacrete are adjusted based on weather conditions like humidity and temperature.
“The magic happens in the admixtures that let us keep printing,” said Ballard, noting that these factors also influence the material’s color and behavior.
ICON is also involved in building a 3D-printed neighborhood near Austin, Texas. However, Milad Bazli, a lecturer in science and technology at Charles Darwin University in Australia, warned that the rise of 3D-printed construction could displace some skilled labor jobs. “From a social perspective, particularly in remote areas, the impact on local jobs will be one of the challenges to consider when adopting 3D printing,” Bazli said.
The expansion of El Cosmico is expected to be completed by 2026, with hotel unit prices ranging from $200 (Ksh. 25,800) to $450 (Ksh. 58,050) per night.
