The international art hub in Marfa, Texas has long been one of the state’s strangest attractions. Prada Marfa, propped by Berlin-based artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, sets a mock Prada store against a baron desert landscape and, formerly, a 21-acre glamping retreat called El Cosmico which is now being redesigned and expanded into a 62-acre hotel complex with a very unique twist.
Opening in 2024, the new EL Cosmico will be the world’s first 3D-printed hotel with hospitality expert Liz Lambert overseeing the ambitious project alongside technology company ICON and renowned architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group, which in the past has been involved in distinctive works like the famous LEGO House in Denmark.
Renovating a local glamping institution into one of the most technologically advanced hotels in the world shouldn’t be an easy feat but work isn’t expected to take too long. El Cosmico Texas will open sometime next year with various amenities like an infinity pool. an open-air spa and a communal space all worked around architecture that has been 3D printed by ICON using Vulcan machines.
Depending on how the project goes, it should be validated for the technology and its use in commercial construction moving forward.
The accommodations will be in domed suites made with real desert soul to help mirror the colours of the surrounding desert landscape. Each will feature skylights and windows with prime views of the Davis Mountains. Numerous vacation homes will also be printed and listed for sale in case anyone wants to become a permanent resident of the world’s first 3D-printed hotel.
