6AM City In-house

The robots are building 🤖

ICON’s new 3D-printed community has broken ground
A rendering of the Wolf Ranch community from above.
ICON and Lennar expect the community to look a little something like this when it nears completion. | Rendering courtesy of ICON
It’s the year 2022, and Austinites have robots delivering their pizzas, driving their cars, and building their homes.

ICON, the company pioneering large-scale 3D-printed homes in Austin, has broken ground on its largest community of homes to date.

ICON partnered with home construction company Lennar to create 100 modern homes just outside Austin in Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch by Hillwood master-planned community.

The neighborhood was announced in October 2021 and is already gearing up to sell to those on the waitlist. Reservations for the homes begin in 2023 and prices are anticipated to start in the mid-$400,000s.

ATX_wolfranchinprogress

Progress on the community is well underway as of November.

Photo courtesy of ICON


Here’s how it works. Using its proprietary cement-like material, “Lavacrete,” and its gigantic portable Vulcan printer, ICON can print each home’s shell in a matter of one or two weeks. The system is weatherproof and allows architects to push the boundaries of design with more organic shapes, as seen in ICON’s concept property, House Zero.

A photo of House Zero's curvy walls.

ICON opened House Zero up for tours during SXSW 2022 — there are no straight walls visible from the outside.

Photo by ATXtoday


Co-designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the homes are meant to blend Texas ranch style aesthetics with energy-efficient design. The new community features eight different floor plans with 24 elevations, ranging from three to four bedrooms across 1,500-2,100+ sqft. Each house is powered by rooftop solar panels.

The first homes’ wall systems are already complete, meaning the next step is traditional construction. ICON CEO and co-founder Jason Ballard said he hopes one day they will look back on Wolf Ranch as the place large-scale robotic construction began.

“For the first time in the history of the world, what we’re witnessing here is a fleet of robots building an entire community of homes. And not just any homes, homes that are better in every way… better design, higher strength, higher energy performance and comfort,” Ballard said in a statement “We still have a long way to go, but I believe this marks a very exciting and hopeful turn in the way we address housing issues in the world.”
Precision Camera & Video

Click here to have your event featured.

Monday, Nov. 14
  • Creek Show 2022 | Mon., Nov. 14-Sun., Nov. 20 | 6 p.m. | Moody Amphitheater, 1401 Trinity St. | Free | Wander through whimsical glowing at pieces at this annual downtown art show.
Wednesday, Nov. 16
  • Ride the Synthwave | Wed., Nov. 16 | 6:30-10:30 p.m. | F.L. Winship Drama Building, 300 E. 23rd St. | Free | Enjoy a unique live Synthwave music performance paired with an immersive blacklight display from UT students.
  • William Harries Graham and Jon Dee Graham | Wed., Nov. 16 | 9:30 p.m. | The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave. | $10 | Catch the father-son duo followed by The Push and Shove at midnight on the velvet stage.
Thursday, Nov. 17
  • The 1975 | Thu., Nov. 17 | 7 p.m. | The Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr. | $49.50+ | The pop group is performing their “At Their Very Best” tour alongside BLACKSTARKIDS.
  • Austin Shakespeare: “Sense and Sensibility” | Thu., Nov. 17-Sun., Nov. 27 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Rollins Theatre at the Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. | $30+ | Jane Austen’s classic tale of two young sisters comes to life in this theatrical performance.
Friday, Nov. 18
  • Two Step Night at Jester King | Fri., Nov. 18 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Jester King Brewery, 13187 Fitzhugh Rd. | Free | Learn how to two-step for the first time or brush up on your dance moves at a two-steppin’ lesson with instructors from Dancin’ Austin.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
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6AM City In-house

Just in time for Thanksgiving: Order a Central Market holiday meal
🍽️

A turkey and thanksgiving sides sit on a table.
Decrease the holiday stress by letting Central Market chefs do the cooking for you. | Photo provided by Central Market
Stressing over Thanksgiving? This year, skip the holiday frenzy with Central Market’s Holiday Meals.

Your new + improved holiday cooking routine awaits:

  • Step 1: Order a Central Market chef-cooked holiday meal (or a-la-carte sides) — think: whipped potatoes, butternut squash and apple dressing, Maine blueberry pie, or turkey + all the fixins
  • Step 2: Pick-up the meal from your neighborhood Central Market
  • Step 3: Reheat in time for Thanksgiving (or Friendsgivng)
  • Step 4: Dig in 🍗
Bonus: Central Market offers Christmas meals, too.*
ORDER A HOLIDAY MEAL

Weather
  • 54º | Rainy | 87% chance of rain
Today Is
  • The last day to register to vote in the runoff election for mayor and three city council districts. The runoff is scheduled for Tues., Dec. 13, but early voting will run from Thurs., Dec. 1-Fri., Dec. 9. 🗳 (Community Impact Austin)
Sports
  • Texas lost against TCU on Saturday night, in a match the Longhorns were expected to win. With the Big 12 championship around the corner, Longhorns could have advanced, but instead lost 17-10. (Austin American-Statesman)
Holiday
  • Thanksgiving is coming up on Thurs., Nov. 24, and we want to know what you’re eating. Do you eat something other than the well-known turkey feast? Does your family have its own tradition? Let us know here. 🦃
Community
  • The Julia C. Butridge Gallery at the Dougherty Arts Center is hosting an open call for artists to submit their exhibit proposals. Applications are free and open until Sun., Jan. 15, 2023 for the 2024 gallery season.
Opening
  • The long-vacant La Bare club at 110 E. Riverside Dr. will be reinvigorated, reopening as a new nightclub called Superstition. With 12,000 sqft of space, plans for bottle service, a cocktail lounge and a patio called “the Gold Room,” Superstition is slated to open by the end of the year. 🪩 (Austin Chronicle)
Real Estate
  • Got $15 million burning a hole in your pocket? The Peninsula on Lake Travis — a 59-acre waterfront property near Lago Vista — has hit the market and is ready for development.
Health
  • Did you know? There are only 53 days out of the year for Austinites to enroll in Medicare benefits. Put your health first and find out if you’re eligible for benefits. Don’t miss this year’s Annual Medicare Enrollment period ending on Wed., Dec. 7, 2022.
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6AM City In-house
It’s no secret that Austin has a world-class local music scene — after all, this is the Live Music Capital of the World — but how many resident musicians do you have on your playlist?

We want to know, so we made you a community playlist. We’ve added in a few of our favorite local musicians to get it started.
Of course we’ve included the classics — Willie Nelson, Black Pumas, Jackie Venson, and Shakey Graves — but we hope you find some new songs, too. Here are a few of our must-listen tracks:

Figi’s ditties:
🎵 “I’m Melting” by Clarence James
🎵 “Sama Chaka” by Golden Dawn Arkestra
🎵 “Left-Handed Lover” by Lady Dan

London’s tracks:
🎵 “Story of an Artist” by Daniel Johnston
🎵 “Family and Genus” by Shakey Graves
🎵 “Dana Be Mine” by TC Superstar

But wait, there’s more. We want to share this playlist, so click here to add your favorite song by a local musician.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Figi.

Editor’s pick: I was able to tour House Zero during SXSW this year and I realized I want all my walls to be curved — the organic lines are very comforting. Plus, I think it’s very exciting ICON can build a house in less than a month.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? How did Austin become the Live Music Capital of the world?
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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