Technology pundits have pushed the benefits of 3D printing and additive manufacturing for years, but outside of a few pilot projects, the technology has remained more concept than reality for the AEC industry.
The Office of the Future in Dubai represents the most audacious project to date. Dedicated in May 2016, the 2,600-sf, fully functioning office building kicked off Dubai’s strategy to make the city a 3D printing hub by 2030.
The global Building Team (Dubai, China, Chicago, and New York) had to produce a code-compliant structure that accommodated key building systems: plumbing, electric, HVAC, and telecommunications. Among the team’s innovations: the design of MEP infrastructure cavities that doubled as reinforcement for the core structure.
The building took only 17 days to print and two days to assemble on the job site. The team says the 3D-printing process reduced labor costs by 80% and construction waste by 60%.
Building Team – Submitting firm, MEP engineer Syska Hennessy Group Owner Dubai Future Foundation Architects Gensler, Killa Design Structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti Contractor China State Construction Construction manager Projex
General Information – Size 2,600 sf Construction cost Withheld at owner’s request Construction time February 2016 to May 2016 Delivery method Design-build
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | Jun 24, 2019
14 projects earn BD+C's 2019 Building Team Awards
The McDonald's Headquarters, the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, and Pacific Visions at the Aquarium of the Pacific are three of the projects awarded with BD+C's 2019 Building Team Awards.
Building Team Awards | Jun 21, 2019
Up, up and away: Dutch hospitality chain completes the world's tallest modular hotel
Honorable mention: At 21 stories (15 of them modular), it is the world’s tallest modular hotel.
Building Team Awards | Jun 20, 2019
PPP gets the job done: Three-party deal saves time and money for client
Bronze Award: Weitz, acting as developer and design-builder, leased the land and borrowed the money for the project.
Building Team Awards | Jun 20, 2019
Making waves: The façade of Pacific Visions suggests the movement of water, day and night
Bronze Award: The new wing holds an exhibition space, a state-of-the-art 300-seat theater with a 32-foot-tall, 180-degree arc, 130-foot-long projection wall.
Building Team Awards | Jun 19, 2019
Unsung heroes: Two hurricanes couldn't stop this project team
Bronze Award: St. Lucie County’s population exploded to the point where the hospital needed lots more space.
Building Team Awards | Jun 19, 2019
Crime fighter: San Diego County's new forensic facility helps battle crime in three ways
Silver Award: The 158,000-sf addition collocates three crime-fighting functions.
Building Team Awards | Jun 18, 2019
All that urban jazz: Mixed-use center lends a zing to downtown Washington's skyline
Bureaucratic architecture, be damned!
Building Team Awards | Jun 18, 2019
Eyesore no more: People come together to expand a much-needed daycare center
Silver Award: Two problems quickly emerged: high concentrations of arsenic in the soil, and stormwater runoff into nearby wetlands and neighboring properties.
Building Team Awards | Jun 17, 2019
Campus renewal: Community effort saves a crucial healthcare resource
Silver Award: Taylor Design (architect) and SmithGroup (AOR) led an integrated design-build team anchored by McCarthy Building Companies (GC).
Building Team Awards | Jun 13, 2019
In the spotlight: Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts shines a new beacon on Houston’s downtown
Gold Award: Kinder High School, which can accommodate 750 9th through 12th graders, is one of only three public schools in the U.S. that offer programs for both visual and performing arts.
