Zuri Gardens breaks ground on 3D-printed homes in Houston

HiveASMBLD breaks ground on Zuri Gardens, an 80‑home, partially 3D‑printed affordable community in southeast Houston

Work has started on Zuri Gardens, a 13‑acre housing project in southeast Houston that will include 80 homes with the first stories made using 3D construction printing. The development pairs robot‑printed concrete first floors with panelized and conventional building methods for upper levels and interior finishes. The site sits near a major airport and local schools, and the project is part of a city program aimed at expanding affordable ownership.

Project snapshot

The homes will average about 1,360 square feet, each with two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, an office or flex space, and a covered patio. Builders are planning two floorplan variants that shift the office/flex room. Prices are expected in the mid‑to‑high $200,000s, and eligibility is limited to households up to 120% of the area median income (AMI), with other reporting also noting a possible 80–120% AMI range for some units.

Who is building and how

The development is led by a Houston‑based automated additive construction firm that uses AI‑driven design software paired with large robotic arms that extrude a proprietary low‑carbon concrete to print thick first‑floor walls. Those printed walls will be 10‑inch concrete sections filled with foam insulation for a tight thermal seal. Second stories, interior finishes, and standard trades will be handled using panelized products and conventional construction by a local builder and partners. Building materials for upper levels will include engineered siding, radiant barrier roofing, and sub‑floor systems from major suppliers.

Funding and affordability

The development is part of a municipal affordable home program and includes a forgivable loan to the developer as a condition of income restrictions. Buyers may qualify for significant down payment assistance through city programs, though those supports require separate applications and eligibility checks. The developer paid for the site and is also eligible for long‑term reimbursements for infrastructure costs through a local tax increment reinvestment zone agreement.

Schedule, interest and scale

Groundbreaking has been reported and the first 1,360 sq. ft. model home is planned to begin in October 2025. Public accounts give different completion targets — one estimate suggests an 18‑month build‑out from the start, while others list spring or fall 2026 as possible opening windows. Developer outreach indicates more than 300 people have already expressed interest in buying into the 80‑home community. Organizers say success here could lead to more similar developments and lower price points over time.

Claims about performance and cost

The builder says its concrete mix can lower carbon footprint and improve strength and weather resistance. Concrete walls are presented as less vulnerable to mold and termites than wood, and the printed wall assembly is expected to reduce long‑term maintenance and energy costs. The firm also projects construction cost savings of 10–15% compared with traditional methods, citing lower labor needs and use of industrial byproducts in the mix. Reported per‑square‑foot construction ranges for the project are higher than a recent local median for new and existing homes, and nearby examples of 3D‑printed communities show a wide range of price points.

Design and site features

Plans include community amenities such as a lake, walking trails, a pavilion, and a park next to the homes. Aesthetic features of printed walls will include visible layered grooves unless finished with stucco or other cladding. The development aims to offer resilient homes designed for the local climate.

Short briefs: industry and tech updates

– A boutique carmaker that built a low‑volume hypercar with extensive 3D‑printed parts is focusing on a narrow line of high‑end models rather than expanding into mass markets such as SUVs. The maker plans closely related hypercar successors and expects the approach to sustain the brand through the next decade and beyond.

– A team of four bachelor students at a Danish university completed a hybrid drone prototype that operates in the air and underwater. The waterproof prototype can hover, dive, swim below the surface by changing propeller blade angles, and fly back out of the water. The work was completed as a final‑project effort over about a year under faculty supervision and could have applications in inspections, search and rescue, and defense.

– A composites firm received a nearly $1.9 million contract from a military research program to build advanced finite element analysis tools tailored to continuous fiber 3D printing. The goal is to simulate anisotropic composite behavior more accurately by reading actual printing toolpath data and predicting performance based on fiber direction and steering. This work is scheduled to proceed through August 2026 and aims to cut design time and increase reliability for complex parts used in mission‑critical settings.

Context and what to watch

The Zuri Gardens build will be watched for real‑world proof that 3D construction printing can speed foundation and wall work, cut waste, and lower labor needs while meeting affordable‑housing goals. Important follow‑ups include final sales prices, actual build times, how well printed walls perform in the local climate, and whether the model is repeatable at larger scale without pushing costs up. Fiscal and program details tied to municipal assistance will also shape buyer access.