Dubai engineers world’s first 3D-printed office building

by Brianna Crandall — June 8, 2016 — Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has just opened what it says is the first 3D-printed office in the world, called the “Office of the Future,” demonstrating the potential capabilities of three-dimensional (3D) printing related to the future of the building industry around the world. The unique building on the Emirates Towers premises will house the temporary office of the Dubai Future Foundation.

The building is said to be the first of its kind in the world prepared for actual use, taking into account the integration of a unique building design and 3D-printing technology to offer key services within the building, such as electricity, water, telecommunications and air-conditioning.

An article in The Huffington Post points out that last year, “China erected the world’s tallest 3D-printed apartment building, which at the time was more of a showpiece than a functioning residence,” and notes that “While other construction projects have at least partly relied on 3D printers, the Dubai government says this entire building is printer-made, even the furnishings and interior designs.”

Dubai 3D-printed office

The 3D-printed office was constructed using a special mixture of cement and building material designed and made in the UAE and USA, and tested in China and the U.K. An arc shape was adopted for safety and stability.

The office space covers up to 250 square meters (2,690 square feet), while the exterior design reflects the most innovative forms of the future workplace. The building was designed to shift from the traditional layout of work environments and provide greater opportunities to stimulate innovation and communication between workplace teams.

It also offers the possibilities for joint work with experts and innovators from around the world, and a platform to inspire ideas and collaboration between employees. The design also offers space for exhibitions and workshops, as well as other events.

The 3D-printed office was constructed using a special mixture of cement and a set of building material designed and made in the UAE and the United States. These materials underwent a range of tests in both China and the United Kingdom to ensure their reliability. An arc shape was adopted for the building for safety purposes and to ensure the stability of the building.

Innovative features were adopted in the office building to reduce energy consumption, such as window shades to offer protection from direct sunlight and keep the building cool. The latest technology was used for the management of the building’s information systems.

Dubai 3D-printed office interior

Prepared for actual use, the building offers such key services as electricity, water, telecommunications and air-conditioning.

In order to produce such a large building, a 3D printer measuring 20 feet high, 120 feet long and 40 feet wide was used. The printer features an automated robotic arm to implement the printing process. Additional mobile printers along with advanced computers were located at the construction site to help ensure quality control and facilitate the printing process.

The labor involved for the project consisted of one staff member to monitor the function of the printer, seven people to install the building components on site, and a team of 10 electricians and specialists to take care of the mechanical and electrical engineering. As a result, the labor cost was cut by more than 50 percent compared to conventional buildings of similar size.

The full model took only 17 days to print, and the office was installed on site within two days, which is significantly faster than traditional construction methods involving similar Category A office buildings, says Dubai.

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 Thomasetti, and Syska Hennessy.

The initiative comes as part of the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy, which is a unique global initiative aimed to harness this promising technology for the service of humanity and promote the status of the UAE and Dubai as a leading global center of 3D printing by 2030. The strategy, which focuses on construction, medical products and consumer products, is explained in an Emirates 24/7 News article.

Additional photos of the 3D-printed office building are available in the Dubai News section of the UAE Government Web site.