Robotic extrusion forms layered concrete first-floor walls while panelized second-story framing is assembled at the Zuri Gardens development in southeast Houston.
Southeast Houston, August 31, 2025
A 13-acre development in southeast Houston named Zuri Gardens has started construction on an 80-home community that uses 3D-printed concrete first-floor walls combined with panelized and conventional upper-floor systems. Targeted at households up to 120% AMI, homes will average about 1,360 sq. ft. with two bedrooms, office/flex space and covered patios, and are expected to sell in the mid-to-high $200,000s with city home-buying assistance available. Partners are using AI-driven design and robotic extruders with a low-carbon concrete mix and foam-filled 10-inch walls. The developer projects construction savings, while timelines and final pricing will be released as units are marketed.
A new 13-acre housing development in southeast Houston has started construction on an 80-home community that will combine 3D-printed first-floor walls with traditional building methods for upper floors. The community, named Zuri Gardens, is being built as part of a city affordable home program and targets buyers at or below 120% of Area Median Income (AMI). Homes are expected to average about 1,360 square feet with two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, an office/flex space, and a covered patio. Prices are expected in the mid-to-high $200,000 range and the first unit is slated to start going up in October 2025 under reported schedules.
The project blends automated additive construction with panelized and conventional methods. The developer and builder partners are using AI-driven design software and large robotic arms to extrude a proprietary low-carbon concrete mix into 10-inch-thick printed walls for each home’s first floor. The print process is reportedly guided with augmented-reality tools. Second stories and interior finishes will be assembled using panelized systems and standard construction techniques. Partners on the project include municipal program funding, a regional homebuilder, an architect, an engineer team, and a major supplier providing siding, roofing, and sub-floor products for the second story.
Zuri Gardens is part of a municipal Affordable Home Development Program. Eligibility language in coverage varies, but the development is intended for households up to 120% AMI (HUD’s 2025 120% AMI limit for a four-person household in the Houston area is cited at about $121,300). Some reports say households between 80% and 120% AMI will be eligible. The developer received a reported $1.8 million forgivable loan tied to program income rules, and the builder has an agreement to be reimbursed for some infrastructure work by a local TIRZ up to $2 million over multiple years. The land was bought for about $6 million, and city home-buying assistance programs may provide up to $125,000 in down-payment help for qualified buyers under separate rules.
The developer says the 3D-printed walls will be filled with foam insulation to create a tight thermal seal and that concrete walls bring resistance to mold, termites and severe weather, as well as lower maintenance and utility costs. A visible layered finish is expected on printed walls unless they are stuccoed for a smooth look. The company projects construction cost savings of roughly 10%–15% compared with traditional builds, driven by lower labor needs and materials reuse, though reported per-square-foot figures for the project range higher than some local market medians ($180–$220 per sq. ft. vs a cited local median of $151 per sq. ft.). More than 300 people have reportedly registered interest for the 80 homes. Estimated completion dates vary across reports, with one timeline pointing to about 18 months from start and other reporting suggesting spring or fall 2026 openings.
Several related short items ran alongside the housing news. A specialty vehicle maker is focusing its business on a high-performance hypercar that heavily uses 3D-printed parts; the model is a tandem-seater producing over 1,200 bhp, and the company is concentrating on that niche rather than moving into high-volume segments. A team of bachelor students at a Danish technical university developed a prototype hybrid drone that can transition between flying and swimming and can operate below the surface for ship inspection, defense or search-and-rescue uses. Finally, a composites company won a $1.9 million US Air Force tactical award to develop a Finite Element Analysis tool that better models anisotropic behavior for continuous fiber 3D printing; the work will run through August 2026 and aims to ingest actual toolpath data to predict strength and behavior more accurately in mission-critical parts.
The Zuri Gardens project joins a growing list of experiments in printed housing, ranging from single demonstration homes to larger neighborhoods. Examples elsewhere have shown construction speed advantages and lower per‑unit costs in some cases, while other projects have fetched higher prices when positioned at premium markets. Market estimates included in coverage suggest 3D-printed construction could become a multi-billion-dollar niche by the end of the decade, though adoption will hinge on costs, regulation, buyer demand and proven longevity of printed components.
Key items to follow are the first printed walls and completion of the first house in the fall of 2025, final pricing and buyer eligibility details when units are released, performance of printed walls in local weather, and whether the partners pursue additional developments if early sales meet demand.
Zuri Gardens is a 13-acre, 80-home development in southeast Houston that will combine 3D-printed first-floor concrete walls with panelized and conventional construction for upper levels.
The project is tied to a city affordable home program and is intended for households up to 120% of the Area Median Income. Specific eligibility rules and applications for down-payment aid are handled separately by city programs.
One report sets the first house to begin construction in October 2025. Completion estimates vary across reports, ranging from about 18 months from start to timelines pointing to spring or fall 2026 for community opening.
Large robotic arms extrude a proprietary low-carbon concrete mix into layered walls, guided by digital design tools. Walls are reported to be about 10 inches thick and filled with foam insulation.
The developer reports potential construction savings of about 10%–15% versus traditional builds, though some per-square-foot figures for the project are higher than local medians. Final buyer prices will depend on financing, subsidies and market conditions.
Short items covered a 3D-heavy hypercar strategy, a university student project for a hybrid air/underwater drone, and a $1.9 million award to develop advanced FEA tools for continuous fiber 3D printing.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project name | Zuri Gardens — 13-acre, 80 homes |
| Construction method | 3D-printed first-floor walls using robotic extruders; panelized and conventional upper levels |
| Home size | Average 1,360 sq. ft. — 2 beds, 2.5 baths, office/flex, covered patio |
| Affordability | Targeted to households up to 120% AMI; prices in mid-to-high $200,000s; down-payment help up to $125,000 may be available |
| Key partners | Local builder, design and engineering partners, municipal affordable housing program, and a building materials supplier for upper levels |
| Other briefs | Hypercar strategy with 3D parts; a hybrid air/underwater drone prototype; a $1.9M defense award for CF3D FEA tool development |
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