Although the use of 3D printing in construction has been minimal up till now due to cost and logistics, this may all be about to change with the unveiling of the world’s first 3D printed office in Dubai.
Inaugurated earlier this week, the 250 sq m office was printed and installed in 17 days, with the help of 18 people, including the operator of the printer, reports Global Construction Review.
The building was installed on the premises of Emirates Towers, and will be the temporary office of the Dubai Future Foundation.
A 3D printer was used to print the building in a special cement mixture, layer by layer. In all, it took a total of 17 days to print the building at a cost of about £95,000, after which the interior and exterior design details were added.
Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “We see this project as a case study that will benefit regulators as well as research and development centres at the regional and international levels on real application of 3D printing technology.”
In addition to providing a workspace, it is hoped in the future the office will also be used to host exhibitions, workshops and other events.
