Florida “town of the future” will be guided by augmented reality – Industry Europe

An artists’ representation of one of the homes, featuring the concrete shells and other building materials, such as wood and glass. Credit: Brickless Developers Group

Based in Port St Lucie County, roughly 177 km (110 miles) north of Miami, the town will be primarily built using Brickless’ “Shell-Tech” method of construction, involving specialised concrete. The company will be unveiling it alongside an augmented reality replica to allow residents to guide production.

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Florida is currently going through something of a housing crisis, with house prices rising to unprecedented highs. As such, the developers have been tasked with building 773 acres for residential buildings to tackle the crisis and a further 101 acres of the plot for commercial buildings and amenities. 

In total, around 2,600 units will be built, comprising space for single families, townhomes, multi-family residences, commercial areas, civic sites, fire and gas stations and much more.

The events of recent years have inspired development and the plot is being designed as a “town for the future,” specifically designed to reduce disruption from events such as the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are not only building to fill a significant demand for housing, but also for evolving societal and technological needs,” said Nelson Delgado, founder of Brickless Developers.

“Due to the unstable lifestyle that the whole world has experienced during the past few years and the uncertain future, Brickless is pushing the boundaries with the creation of a community that is safe and shielded from external events such as COVID which brought us to unexpected lockdowns.

“We’ve all been on the receiving end of supply-chain shortages, climate change, a global pandemic and more. Now, we’re designing a community that is truly future-ready in every dimension.”

Through the digital replica, potential residents can select their desired plot of land, navigate site plans, interact with neighbours, and participate in the design of their own homes and social spaces, all to be replicated in the physical development of the settlement.

A concept for the augmented reality replica of the town, where residents will be able to choose their plots of land and cater it to their needs. Credit: Brickless Developers Group

The point of this is to make the town far more bespoke than traditional towns, and give investors something of a more dynamic share in the town, with their homes and services catered to their desires.

Delgado hinted that the firm will be “redefining the process of purchasing a home” by allowing customers to create a community based on their needs and passions.

It is currently unknown if through the use of an augmented reality whether blockchain technologies or NFTs will be involved, but it should not be discounted entirely.

The physical construction will be done using aluminium framing and filled in using monolithic concrete shells – meaning the foundation is placed with a single pour, allowing for easy fitting of other materials such as wood and glass. This should significantly speed up the building time once construction begins properly in 2023.

In addition, the town’s power will be generated through solar farms, which will form part of the complex.

Brickless has also laid out plans to include modular organic farms, which allow residents to crow crops without the need for soil or sunlight; so-called “self-farming agriculture” and smart homes that come with water purification systems, air filtration and home offices.

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The town’s funding will primarily come through crowdfunding, which is how potential residents will “book” their place. The current estimated time frame for construction is around three years, meaning residents could be moving in by 2026-27.

According to Brickless, investments will range from between $25,000 (€22,622) to $500,000 (€452,445).

Brickless was founded in 2019 and is currently involved in several projects in Florida.