14 DAY TRIAL // Not only the entire building will be 3D printed but everything inside it too. For this project the Chinese company WinSun Global was chosen to do the job.
Although the Chinese company has extensive expertise in building large 3D building parts, it was only for custom building modules in China that couldn't be fabricated in the more traditional ways. 3D printing entire buildings is a completely different job that requires new and bigger infrastructure complete, of course, with the massive printers themselves.
Dubai expects WinSun to finish its project of a small complex of several 2,000-square-foot multi-use buildings faster than conventional building times. The building site is located in a busy intersection in the middle of Dubai, so haste and efficiency is a key requirement. WinSun Global plans to use a combination of reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastic and glass fiber reinforced gypsum to print the walls and internal structures of the buildings.
Cost labors are also expected to be massively reduced by 50% to 80% compared to traditional building costs, that's great for companies and construction firms, not so great for jobs in the area.
This is a good way to test how we could actually change building practices and have the project of our dreams with less hassle and more importantly with less money. Although authorities in Dubai want to project this as a thing of the future, giving futuristic looks to its building complex, this technique could be applied on any project of any shape and size, ultimately having the potential of changing the way we build things in the future. Unfortunately, jobs will have to suffer.