Dubai Municipality has entered the Guinness Book of World Records by completing the largest 3D printed two-story structure in the world.

The building, situated in the Al Warsan area, is the first 3D printed two-story structure in the world, executed by undertaking 3D printing onsite directly, under external working conditions and using local components.

“That was the difficult part of the project,” Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said at the unveiling of the project, adding that most of the other projects around the world have been constructed in a closed area.

The 640 square-meter building is 9.5 meters tall and is aligned with sustainability requirements and green building standards. The structure has been designed and executed with several spaces that can be used as rooms or offices of different sizes.

In 2016, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai announced the emirate’s intention to construct 25 percent of the buildings in Dubai with 3D printing technology by 2030.

“Dubai is becoming a hub for this kind of technology,” Al Hajri said, adding that Dubai Municipality will be ready to complete another 3D printed building soon.

A building like this should cost around 2.5 million dirhams without the technology, but with 3D printing technology the value should drop to close to 800,000 dirhams.

The building is made of concrete and is more durable than the conventional buildings. With the new technology, the structure can take 3 months to be constructed, compared to one year for conventional buildings, he said. 

“It is very economical, I am talking about more than 50 percent (less) cost, more than 50 percent (less) number of labors, 60 percent less material waste,” Al Hajri added.

Regulations regarding Dubai 3D buildings’ are expected to be announced soon. However, developers are starting to apply for 3D building licenses and the municipality is encouraging such projects.

In 2016, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inaugurated the world’s first fully functional 3D printed building on the Emirates Towers premises in Dubai.


(Reporting by Gerard Aoun, editing by Seban Scaria)

(gerard.aoun@refinitiv.com)

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