Liz Lambert—the visionary behind nomadic hotel El Cosmico (among other properties) and a 2024 HD Platinum Circle honoree—has partnered with ICON, a pioneering 3D-printing company, to create the world’s first 3D-printed hotel and residences in Marfa, Texas.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), this groundbreaking 60-plus-acre development will reimagine the original El Cosmico, incorporating innovative architectural forms like domes, arches, and vaults—made possible through large-scale 3D printing.
The project will feature guest accommodations, a pool, bathhouse, restaurant, and private residences.
“I am so happy about breaking ground at the new El Cosmico site,” says Lambert. “It’s the realization of a longtime dream of mine. It’s also very meaningful to me in that we will be able to do more of what we’ve done in the community of Marfa over the past 12 years—create economic opportunity, add high quality jobs, and contribute to the cultural fabric of Marfa.”
“I’ve been coming to Marfa since I was a kid spending summers at my family’s ranch, and I’m proud and honored to be a part of this community,” Lambert continues. “Marfa is a magical place.”
“Our design for the new El Cosmico is a conversation between El Cosmico’s past and future,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG. “By testing the geometric boundaries of ICON’s 3D-printed construction, we have imagined fluid, curvilinear structures that enjoy the freedom of form in the empty desert. By using the sand, soils, and colors of the terroir as our print medium, the circular forms seem to emerge from the very land on which they stand.”
“We are honored to join Liz Lambert in reimagining desert luxury as something distilled to its purest form: raw, honest, and in harmony with the surrounding environment,” Ingels adds.
Connected to the hotel will be a collection of three- and four-bedroom Sunday Homes, available for sale, that feature expansive views of the Davis Mountains. The first model home is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 with additional units to follow.
“Part of the reason we’ve worked so hard at ICON to create these technologies is to give high-vision people like Liz and Bjarke the ability to materialize their dreams in the real world,” shares Jason Ballard, cofounder and CEO of ICON. “West Texas is one of the most meaningful places on Earth to me and my family. To contribute in such a positive way to Marfa hits on a deeply personal level. The breadth of the project, from hospitality and elevated housing to affordable housing, is astounding. This will be the most ambitious architecture that we have yet undertaken.”
In addition, the project includes a plan to introduce 3D-printed affordable housing units in Marfa, designed through ICON’s Initiative 99 competition, reflecting the evolving needs of the community.
The current 21-acre El Cosmico will remain open until 2025, with the new development set to debut in 2026.
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