News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
The city of Brownsville in Texas will soon be home to a brand new Starbucks. If you’re wondering why that is newsworthy, let us elaborate a bit. The new spot is not just any brick-and-mortar Starbucks location: it is is being 3D printed. According to local sources, the construction of the new drive-thru coffee shop is well underway on Boca Chica blvd, with concrete walls and Starbucks branding already in place.
For years we’ve been following the work of Ronald Rael, a designer and architect who frequently works with large-scale 3D printing technologies (he is also a founder member of Emerging Objects). His latest project, part of the 2025 Desert X exhibition in Coachella Valley, is a distillation of many of the themes he is interested in, including indigenous building practices, sustainability, organic materials, and contemporary technologies. The project, called Adobe Oasis, consists of an installation of mud passageways made using robotic 3D printing and inspired by the palms of Coachella Valley’s oases.
JR West, JR West Innovations, and the Japanese 3D construction printing company Serendix have unveiled plans to build the world’s first 3D printed train station. This revolutionary project, set to debut at Hatsushima Station in Wakayama Prefecture, marks a major milestone in railway construction as Japan looks to address challenges from its aging workforce.
Vertico has introduced the Solo Robot, an advanced standalone 3D concrete printing system designed to enhance construction efficiency and flexibility. This latest solution from the Dutch company caters to various applications, from large-scale prefabrication to experimental architectural designs.
Azure Printed Homes, a sustainable 3D printed small dwellings company, has been named the winner of this year’s SWSX Urban Experience Award.
ICON, one of the leading construction 3D printing companies, has partnered with the architecture firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and the developer Catellus to 3D print a dozen two-story residential homes in the Mueller community in Austin, Texas. Additionally, a selection of one-bedroom homes will also be coming soon within the Mueller Affordable Homes Program.
The German company Putzmeister Group is expanding its expertise in concrete pumping to increase its investment in bringing large-scale, industrial-grade 3D printing solutions to the construction industry. With the launch of its new brand, INSTATIQ, the company is taking a major step toward making 3D concrete printing accessible to the mass market.
Luyten, an Australian construction 3D printing firm, is breaking ground on a new project in its home city of Melbourne. When complete, the 350-square-meter build will be Australia’s first multi-storey 3D printed home and will be lived in by none other than Luyten’s CEO and Global President Ahmed Mahil in an effort to demonstrate the viability of 3D printed homes.
The International Code Council (ICC) has announced the development of ICC 1150, the first-ever standard for 3D Automated Construction Technology (3DACT) for 3D Concrete Walls. This standard aims to provide comprehensive structural criteria for interior and exterior 3D printed concrete walls, supporting load-bearing, non-load-bearing, and shear wall applications in single-story and multi-story structures.
Azure Printed Homes, a 3D printed housing company, has launched a $4.2 million crowdfunding campaign to enable the scaling of its production capacity to rebuild Los Angeles after the recent wildfires.