Hotel Developers Want to Cut Costs: Enter 3D Printers and Prefab Rooms

A large-scale 3D printer is currently at work building a 60-acre hospitality village in Marfa, in western Texas. The desert development is a major extension of the existing El Cosmico luxury campground and will include a hotel, bathhouse, restaurant, and private residences. It's expected to be completed in 2026.

A nozzle on a robotic arm squeezes out a cement-like mix to create curved walls in harmony with the desert surroundings. Crucially, the entire building process is automated, requiring only one person to monitor proceedings from a tablet.

The El Cosmico project is at the very cutting edge of modern construction techniques. ICON, the Austin-based firm delivering the technology, also has a contract with NASA to build on the moon.

Spencer Padgett, VP of design and build at ICON, said: “Speed of construction is greatly reduced. There is the opportunity to have more freedom in the design, incorporating organic forms and beautiful curves that would be cost-prohibitive with traditional architecture.”

Investors, owners, and brands always look for fresh