ICON's 3D printer for homes wins international award with high-tech, easy to use design

the ‘vulcan’ 3D printer developed by ICON and designed in collaboration with M3 design has been awarded the red dot ‘best of the best’ award in the product design category. created alongside ICON’s mission to revolutionize architecture and tackle the global housing crisis, the automated system offers quicker construction times, lower costs, and less waste. the vulcan has already been deployed to build housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in austin, texas, and it’s also being used to erect the first commercially available 3D printed homes in the US. 

image © regan morton photography (main image © M3 design)

ICON brought M3 on board to help develop a fully resolved design reflective of the technical sophistication the printer is capable of while also acknowledging the company’s larger purpose. with this in mind, the vulcan was intentionally designed to represent a perfect marriage of human and high-tech.

image © regan morton photography

in contrast to aggressive-looking construction equipment, M3 worked with ICON to create a sleek and simple geometry that mixes hard edges and rolling surfaces. lighting effects were added for functionality on site and as a way to highlight the ICON brand. to tidy the exterior and ensure protection from the elements, all wiring and material hoses were routed internally up to the print head.

printing a home in austin, texas

when deployed, the vulcan 3D prints lavacrete, a portland cement-based mix. compared to traditional building materials, lavacrete promises high thermal comfort, better compressive strength, and higher resilency against extreme weather conditions. thanks to the automated aspect, construction workers can also be safer on site, needing only to control and monitor the process from a tablet.

concept rendering © M3 design

the vulcan printer was meticulously designed with both compassionate usability and appearance in mind

vulcan-printed houses at community first village in austin, texas, for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness

image © regan morton photography

interior view of one of the 3D printed homes in community first village

image © regan morton photography

concept rendering of the first commercially available 3D printed homes in the US

image © logan architecture

mid-construction on the first mainstream, commercially available 3D printed housing development

project info:

name: vulcan

company: ICON 

design collaborator: M3 design

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edited by: lynne myers | designboom