ICON, a company specializing in advanced construction technologies and large-format 3D printing, has unveiled a range of new products and technologies designed to further automate construction. The focus is on a new type of robotic printer for multi-storey building constructions. ICON also presented a new building material with a low CO2 footprint, a digital house construction catalog and an AI-supported architectural assistant.
The highlight of the portfolio is the robotic system “Phoenix”. This enables the 3D printing of complete building shells, including foundations and roofs. The new development not only promises higher printing speeds and sizes, but also halves the printing costs for ICON thanks to optimized processes. At the presentation, ICON already showed a 27-foot-high structure that was built with it in Austin.
Dr. Jason Ballard, CEO of ICON, describes the move as a milestone: “This is the moment we’ve been working towards for the last six years. Our goal has always been to reduce construction costs while increasing quality.”
Digital catalog and AI architect
ICON introduced the “CODEX” digital catalog to make the selection process easier for builders. This comprises over 60 ready-to-print house designs, divided into different collections with a focus on energy efficiency, resilience or avant-garde looks. The aim is to make high-quality architecture available for all price ranges.
The “Vitruvius” software goes one step further – an AI system that acts as a digital architect. After entering customer requirements and budgets, it designs floor plans, renderings and complete construction plans in perspective.
Eco-building material and competition for social housing
Last but not least, ICON presented “CarbonX”, a new extrudable concrete with a low CO2 footprint. An MIT study demonstrated the environmental benefits of 3D printing with this material in residential construction.
Winning designs from the “Initiative 99” architecture competition, which aimed to create affordable but dignified social housing, were also presented at SXSW.
With the new product portfolio, ICON aims to further advance the 3D printing of residential buildings based on sustainable materials, efficient robotics and AI-based design. The aim is to involve builders, developers and architects in order to jointly open up new possibilities for construction.
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