In an effort to place the United Arab Emirates at the forefront in architecture construction and design, Chairman of the UAE National Innovation Committee Mohamed Al Gergawi announced that Dubai will be home to the world’s “first fully functional 3D-printed building,” Emirates 24/7 reports.
Chinese company WinSun—which buzzed online when stories of the company constructing 10 homes in the course of 24 hours using 3D printing technology went viral—will be manufacturing the office building prototype in Dubai.
According to Al Gergawi, the prototype being "printed" will be a 2,000-sf, one-story office building. Online magazine 3D Printing Industry reports that a 20-foot-tall printer will be needed for the project, spewing out construction material consisting of special reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastic, and glass fiber reinforced gypsum.
"This project reflects the vision of our leadership here in Dubai," Al Gergawi told Emirates 24/7. "We are keen to use the latest technologies to simplify people's lives and to serve them better. This project is part of our overall innovation strategy to create new designs and new solutions in education, healthcare and cities. Our goal is to increase the happiness and wellbeing of our residents and to pioneer new solutions for the world."
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