Houston is taking a big step toward solving its housing crunch with Zuri Gardens, a new 13-acre community near Hobby Airport. HiveASMBLD and Cole Klein Builders, with support from the City of Houston, are creating 80 affordable and energy-efficient homes that combine 3D-printed first floors with conventional second stories. The project will provide families with modern, sustainable housing at prices that more Houstonians can manage.
HiveASMBLD, a Houston-based construction startup, is leading the printing process. Using giant robotic printers, the company layers concrete to form the first story of each house. Cole Klein Builders then steps in to add second stories, complete interiors, and exterior finishes with traditional methods. The mix of new and old techniques makes the homes stronger, faster to build, and more cost-efficient.
“We need something affordable and we need it to be resilient for Houston’s climate,” said Vanessa Cole, co-founder of Cole Klein Builders. “That’s where we just went down the rabbit hole for the 3D print piece.” The technology reduces material waste and can withstand the heat and heavy rains that Houston residents are familiar with.
What buyers can expect from Zuri Gardens 3D printed homes
Each home will be about 1,360 square feet, with two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, an office, and a covered patio. Buyers can pick from two floor plans. Both focus on a seamless flow between rooms and bring in ample natural light. The community itself will also feature shared green spaces, including a small lake, walking trails, and a pavilion where neighbors can gather.
Prices will fall in the mid- to high-$200,000 range, which is competitive with or lower than many new builds in the area. The homes are targeted at households making 80% to 120% of Houston’s median income, or roughly $70,000 to $101,000 a year. Qualified buyers can also apply for up to $125,000 in down payment assistance through city programs.
Zuri Gardens 3D printed development under construction. Photo sourced from https://3dprintingindustry.com/
For HiveASMBLD, Zuri Gardens is a big step up. Until now, the company has mainly worked on one-off houses and smaller projects. Building an entire neighborhood puts them into a new league. Timothy Lankau, co-CEO of HiveASMBLD, called the project “a major scaling up” and emphasized the company’s mission to keep costs down. “Our heart is always in affordable housing,” he said. “Everything we build, we want to be at a better price than the last thing we built.”
Zuri Gardens will be one of the largest 3D-printed home communities in the world, second only to ICON’s 100-home project in Georgetown, Texas. Unlike ICON’s homes, which topped $400,000, Zuri Gardens keeps prices under $300,000, a critical move for middle-income families in Houston.
The city’s involvement indicates an urgent need for creative housing solutions. Houston provided $1.8 million in forgivable loans through its Affordable Home Development Program to make sure these homes remain within reach for families squeezed by rising costs. With construction expected to wrap up in spring 2026, Zuri Gardens could set a new standard for how cities address housing affordability with innovative building technologies.
“As long as these sell well and everyone likes them we want to build a lot of them (in Houston) and keep pushing the price point lower,” Lankau said.
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