Tim Shea, a now-formerly homeless man from Texas, has become the first person to live in a 3D printed house. 

The 400-square-foot home was built by ICON’s Vulcan II printer. ICON is a company dedicated to revolutionizing home building through advanced construction technologies. The building contains one bedroom, a full kitchen, one bath, a living room, and a large porch. ICON works in partnership with Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF), a non-profit that works to help the homeless community, to create a solution to homelessness. 

The house is located in the Community First! Village, a development in Austin,Texas, featuring more than 500 homes for those who come from chronic homlessness. 

Gallery • 4 Photos

The interior of one of ICON’s 3D printed homes in the Community First! Village in Austin, Texas. 3D printing has been used in the past to print small plastic and metal items, but large scale practical home printing is relatively new. (ICON)

Founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Alan Graham, said, “Vulnerable populations like the homeless are never among the first to access leading-edge anything, but now here in Austin, Texas they’re among the first in line who will be living in some of the most unique homes ever built—and we think that’s a beautiful thing.”

ICON has developed 6 different 3D homes, each possessing a different layout. Shea chose to have an open floor plan to cater to his arthritis. Others like Tim pay $300 in rent to live in the village, which also offers on-site job opportunities. 

Speaking with the New York Post, Shea said the home provides him with, “a sense of security. I feel like I am embraced in this house. …  I just love sitting in there and looking at the interior of it. It’s just a very comfortable, very warm, welcoming place, and I am so proud to be living in it.”