Six years after ICON’s SXSW debut, during which the construction technology company launched the first permitted 3D-printed house, they returned to the conference to introduce four new products and technologies at their “Domus Ex Machina” event on March 12.
This new group of robotics, software, and materials include Phoenix™, CODEX™, CarbonX™, and Vitruvius™. Together, these are intended to make ICON’s construction technology platform a faster and more sustainable way to affordably build high-quality housing globally.
Phoenix™, ICON’s multi-story robotic construction system, presents the potential for printing a complete building enclosure including foundations and roof structures. It will reduce printing costs by half through increasing speed and size and decreasing both setup time and the number of required operators. The first engineering prototype of Phoenix produced a 27-foot-tall architectural demonstration structure, now on display in Austin.
CODEX™, ICON’s digital catalog of over 60 ready-to-build home designs, spans five collections: Texas modern, fire resilient, storm resilient, affordable, and avant garde. Through CODEX, the company aims to provide high-design and high-performance residential architecture at every price point. Architects and developers interested in submitting their designs, exploring the collections, or initiating projects can do so at IconBuild.com
ICON’s low-carbon building material CarbonX™ will be available April 2024. The printable concrete formula makes ICON’s construction system the lowest carbon residential construction method that can be utilized at scale. Outside of the company’s 3D-printing projects, CarbonX will be made available to other projects and customers.
The aim of Vitruvius™, ICON’s AI system for designing and building homes, is to take human and project inputs and produce robust architecture, plans, permits, budgets, schedules, and bill of materials. With its combined design and construction knowledge, Vitruvius will help individuals design homes and generate floor plans, interior renderings, and exterior renderings in minutes based on their own desires, budgets, and feedback. Join the list to experience Vitruvius beta.
Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON, said this launch of technologies is the moment the company has been working for the past six years.
“I am so proud of the work ICON has done to get to where we are today–not only the promise, but the reality of technology, architecture, and materials that will allow us to build better than anyone in the world,” Ballard said.
