House Zero

House Zero is a 2,000+ sq-ft, 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home with a 350 sq-ft, 1 bedroom/1 bath accessory dwelling unit, featuring ICON’s resilient 3D-printed wall system, which replaces a building system traditionally made up of multiple steps saving time, waste and cost. The walls of the home are made with a proprietary cementitious-based material, “Lavacrete,” insulation, and steel for reinforcing; they were printed in less than two weeks.

Located in East Austin, “House Zero,” was 3D printed by ICON’s next-gen Vulcan construction system and designed by Lake|Flato, known for their sustainable designs. Blending mid-century modernist ranch house aesthetics, the home features an elevated architectural and energy efficient design that highlights the benefits of resiliency and sustainability, with the digital possibilities of additive construction.

Biophilic principles—the way that humans connect with nature and nature-inspired compositions —are behind much of “House Zero’s” design and best accomplished using ICON’s next-generation 3D-printing technology. The curved walls create structurally efficient self-stability, while rounded corners allow for softer, more naturalistic circulation routes throughout the home. Doorways and windows were strategically placed to accentuate accompanying landscapes; eastern-facing high clerestory windows illuminate the living room with soft, yet dynamic sunlight, minimizing the need for electrical lighting throughout the day.

“Houses like this are only possible with 3D printing, and this is the new standard of what 3D printing can mean for the world,” said ICON CEO and co-founder Jason Ballard. “My hope is that this home will provoke architects, developers, builders, and homeowners to dream alongside ICON about the exciting and hopeful future that robotic construction, and specifically 3D printing, makes possible.”

Since its unveiling, House Zero has won multiple awards in the architecture and design communities, including being named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2022, Builder Magazine’s Project of the Year for the 2022 Builder’s Choice Design Awards, an Innovation By Design award from Fast Company, a Texas Society of Architects TxA Design Award and two (2) Architizer A+ Awards.