BIG and prominent lawyer-turned-hotelier Liz Lambert have announced they will be teaming up with ICON on a new high-end hospitality project in Marfa, Texas.

The project will reshape Lambert’s 21-acre El Cosmico resort from a collection of disparate yurts, tents, and other small structures into a new, 65-acre development featuring dome-like parabolic dwellings made using ICON’s patented 3D printing technology.

Austin’s Long Center for the Performing Arts will also benefit from the collaboration in the form of a new 3D printed performance pavilion that “reflects architectural design themes — cosmic organizations, perfect geometries, and organic forms” of El Cosmico. The new resort itself will be a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes between 1,200 and 2,200 square feet each, defined by organic curves and large arches. BIG says this is a ”primordial architectural language that can only be achieved by 3D printing.”

“I have had a vision for the evolution of El Cosmico for many years that includes several spaces that add to the experience both for guests and locals — a pool, a hammam, and more space for art and skills-building workshops,” Lambert said of the project. 

“In collaborating with the revolutionary thinkers at BIG and ICON, not only do I get to fulfill this dream, but we get to do it using this incredible 3D printing technology that marries the oldest principles of raw earth-based building with a futuristic technology that works more quickly, sustainably, and efficiently than modern construction,” she continued. “What’s more, the innovation and beauty of the types of structures we can build extends far beyond the box. It’s fitting that ICON has a contract with NASA to build the first dwellings on the moon and on Mars. I’m excited that we get to explore their incredible work right here in our own little cosmic landscape under the stars in far West Texas.”

“The collaboration with Liz and Bjarke is a total dream, and it’s a tremendous honor for us to join them at the forefront of design and architecture,” ICON’s CEO Jason Ballard added finally. “Liz is truly the Queen of Cool and one of the national treasures of Texas. It is incredible to help her cosmic imaginings become earthly reality.”

Construction is set to break ground in 2024.