Together with architects from the Bjarke Ingels Group and the 3D printing business ICON, the project will span 60 acres and include 18 residential residences and 43 new hotel spaces.

The expansion is anticipated to be finished by 2026 using state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, raising the bar for innovative and environmentally friendly hotel building.

The initiative, developed by the Bjarke Ingels Group and overseen by Austin-based ICON, seeks to redefine architectural innovation.

Owner of El Cosmico Liz Lambert emphasized how 3D printing offers unparalleled versatility, enabling the creation of intricate curves and structures that would be prohibitively expensive to construct using conventional building techniques.

According to Lambert, “the majority of hotels are housed inside four walls, and you are frequently building the same unit over and over again.” “I’ve never been able to construct with such flexibility and minimal restriction… only the parabolas, domes, and curves. That method of building is absurd.

A three-bedroom house and a one-room motel comprise the first units, which have walls that rise to a height of 3.7 meters on the single storey.

With its 14.2-meter width and 4.7-meter height, the Vulcan printer is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the desert and use a cement combination dubbed Lavacrete, which is patented.

In order to ensure the material’s strength and endurance, the 3D printing process necessitates constant modifications based on weather conditions, according to Jason Ballard, CEO of ICON.

Experts like Milad Bazli caution that although this technology presents new opportunities for creative building, it may have an adverse effect on skilled labor positions in rural areas.An illustration of a 3D-printed home at the El Cosmico campground and hotel in Marfa

As Vulcan’s robotic arm and nozzle move around the workspace on a gantry, a print technician keeps an eye on it.

This 3D printer uses Lavacrete, a unique cement-based substance that is made in-house and is intended to be strong, scalable, and printable. According to ICON founder and CEO Jason Ballard, employees modify and blend the components according to the weather.

Ballard said that temperature, irradiance, and humidity all have an impact on the behavior of the material and even its final color, adding, “The magic happens in the admixtures that allow us to continue printing.”

The El Cosmico campground and hotel in Marfa is shown from above, with the first 3D-printed residential unit in the foreground and the first 3D-printed hotel unit in the distance.

With rooms priced between $200 and $450 a night, the hotel, which is expected to be finished by 2026, will demonstrate how 3D printing could influence the future of hospitality and housing in difficult environments.

In Marfa, ICON print technician John McDonald keeps an eye on the Vulcan 3D printer.

According to Milad Bazli, a science and technology instructor at Australia’s Charles Darwin University, 3D-printed building may eventually replace some skilled labor positions.

The first residential house and hotel unit’s 3D printer workstation at El Cosmico campsite and hotel in Marfa

When adopting the 3D printing process, Bazli stated, “I think one of the challenges that we need to consider is the social point of view and the effect on the economy in terms of the local jobs, especially in remote areas.”

By 2026, El Cosmico’s expansion is expected to be finished. The cost of the hotel rooms will vary from $200 to $450 per night.