24 November, Dubai – The
consultants behind the world’s first 3D printed office will be a part
of a panel session on the opportunities, challenges, and future of 3D
technology within the construction industry at Middle East Concrete
today.
Speaking
ahead of the workshop, which will take place at the seminar theatre in
Sheikh Zayed Hall between 3-4pm at Dubai World Trade Centre, Nicholas
Billotti from WinSun Global said:
“When
you have a government as visionary as Dubai you will certainly see not
just this technology but any technology adopted and encouraged more
rapidly than you might have in any other market.”
WinSun Global —
a joint venture between Chinese 3D printing company WinSun and
architecture and engineering firms Gensler, Thornton Tomasetti, and
Syska Hennessy –
was appointed to lead the production of the world’s first 3D printed
office in Dubai, and Billotti said the project has been a terrific
learning experience.
“This
is a first-ever project of this nature so we are naturally very
grateful for the support we have had from the client to have engaged us
on this endeavour, and for the support of our team in getting across the
line,” he said.
Billotti
also spoke of the potential for 3D printing to be used in production of
large scale projects, though he suggested the skyscrapers that have
become synonymous with the iconic Dubai skyline might not be the best
use for the technology.
“Using
3D printed technology for large scale projects would depend on the
construction materials you use, it could get very big in terms of area,
it could get very big in terms of having entire towns printed. I don’t
know that 3D printing in its current form would be the best route for
going tall and building skyscrapers, where you localise the printer.”
“What
we are trying to do is merge manufacturing with construction. If you
had a factory in close proximity to where you are building homes then
you could see large scale development.”
Interested
visitors and media can register to attend the panel session on the
Middle East Concrete website right up until the start of the discussion.