House Zero is a 3D-printed house with a high-end design

Much 3D-printed architecture focuses on producing fundamental and practical structures that seem helpful but don't have much care put into them. However, top 3D printing business Icon has teamed up with prominent studio Lake|Flato to build what they believe will become a new genre of houses that combine the benefits of 3D printing technology with the design chops of high-profile organizations.

House Zero, first presented in 2021 and located in Austin, Texas, has a modernist ranch style akin to Lake|Flato's prior work. The interior design incorporates 3D-printed curving walls and glass and wood. It covers around 2,000 sq ft (185 sq m), is divided across one story and has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a kitchen and central living space.

The placement of windows and doors has been carefully considered to frame desirable vistas and optimize natural light. A smaller ancillary living unit with an additional bedroom and bathroom is close to the primary residence.

The project was built using Icon's ownVulcan 3D printing system and a unique cement-like substance dubbed Lavacrete, like with previous Icon projects. Icon claims their new printer can extrude cement in layers at speeds of up to 5-10 linear inches (12-25 cm) per second and print homes and buildings up to 3,000 square feet (278 sq m).

After the bare shell was printed, human builders completed the rest of the house, including doors, electrical wiring, glazing, and plumbing.

Thanks mainly to Icon, located in Austin, Texas, it has become a hotbedfor 3D-printed architecture. House Zero follows the completion of its first 3D-printed home and the announcement of plans for a second in the city. According to a company official, the home depicted will not be for sale soon.