Functional 3D-printed building

Plans have been revealed in Dubai for the world’s first fully functional 3D printed building. The building will be located close to the Museum of the Future, launched earlier this year in Dubai, and will act as temporary headquarters for its staff.

It will be approximately 2,000 sq ft in size and will be printed layer by layer using a 20-foot-tall 3D printer, then assembled on site in a matter of weeks. All interior furniture and structural components will also be built using 3D printing technology. This will make it the most advanced, fully functional 3D printed building to date.

The project is the first major initiative of the Museum of the Future and is part of a larger partnership between Dubai and WinSun Global – a joint venture between Chinese 3D printing technology firm WinSun and international investors – along with leading global architecture and engineering firms Gensler, Thornton Tomasetti and Syska Hennessy. 

The design will also feature a small digital fabrication facility and a 3D printing exhibition space. Experts estimate that 3D printing technology can reduce production times by 50 to 70 per cent, cut labour costs by 50 to 80 per cent, and  save between 30 and 60 per cent of construction waste. These savings translate to enhanced productivity, higher economic return and increased sustainability.