You can 3D-print anything these days – a steel bridge, a vertebral implant, a fake rhino horn, even a turtle’s jaw. In Dubai, plans have been revealed to create the world’s first fully operational 3D-printed building as part of the 2017 technological museum project, Museum of the Future.
Using a 20-foot-tall 3D printer, the building’s parts will be printed in successive layers and assembled on site. The whole production could take only weeks.
The impressive construction isn’t just stopping there, though. All interior décor and furniture will also be 3D printed.
The building will be approximately 2,000 square feet in size, making it the largest, most advanced 3D-printed building yet.
Projected to be located near to the Museum of the Future announced earlier this year, the building will also be a temporary headquarters for staff.
“This building will be a testimony to the efficiency and creativity of 3D printing technology, which we believe will play a major role in reshaping construction and design sectors,” UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and UAE National Innovation Committee Chairman Mohammed Al Gergawi said in an official statement. “We aim to take advantage of this growth by becoming a global hub for innovation and 3D printing. This is the first step of many more to come.”
As a joint venture between Chinese 3D printing technology firm WinSun, global architecture and engineering firms and international investors, this remarkable project marks the first major initiative of the Museum of the Future.
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