The first 3D printed building is being raised in Dubai, a city famous for its futuristic architecture. Dubai already homes Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The new 3D printed building provides offices for the personnel of the Museum of the Future. The structure doesn't impress by its height, since it is only rising two stories. But what is impressive about this building is the fact that it is being made on a 3D printer.
The building's footprint is 2,000 square feet. The layers of the building will be printed on a 3D printer that is 20 feet high and then assembled on site over a three-week period. 3D printer will also be used to create the structural components such as plastic, glass-fiber reinforced gypsum, and reinforced concrete, as well as the interior furniture.
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed Al Gergawi, declared in a statement that the country in order to serve people better and simply their lives, the country is keen to use the latest advances in technology.
The3D printed building project is part of UAE's overall innovation strategy to promote new solutions and designs in cities, healthcare, and education. The goal of the United Arab Emirates is to become a pioneer of new solutions for its people and for the world at large.
Dubai is a fast growing city and this new 3D printing technology applied in the construction sector could deliver real savings in cost, labor, and time. WinSun Global, the company charged with the building project has already experience in the sector, by producing 3D printing homes in China. They estimate that the 3D printing technique applied in the construction sector can cut labor by 50-80 percent and building time by 50-70 percent.
The 3D printed building also looks symmetric and aesthetically pleasant. It's no surprise that the office building in Dubai will serve its latest cultural project, the Museum of the Future. The office building will be used as temporary headquarters for the Museum of the Future's staff. The building will feature a flexible open plan in order to easily adapt to a range of team sizes and different uses and team sizes. It will also feature a 3D printing exhibition space and a digital fabrication facility.
The 3D printed building in Dubai will be the first testimony to the creativity and efficiency of the new 3D printing technology. Many architects, designers, and construction engineers have already expressed their great expectations on this new technology and also believe that it will play a major role in reshaping design and construction sectors.
