American Company collaborates on the world’s largest 3D printed building in Dubai  || English

U.S.-based company, Apis Cor completed 3D printed wall structures of a two-story administrative building for the Dubai Municipality. Standing at 9.5 meters tall with an area of 640 square meters, it is the largest 3D printed building to date.
This is the first company to develop specialized equipment for 3D printing in the construction industry. Apis Cor's technology is capable of printing wall structures entirely on-site without extra assembly required.


Two-story administrative building by Apis Cor, image by Apis Cor

The total area of the building is 640 sq. meters, which is larger than the printing area accessible when the Apis Cor’s 3D printer is stationary. However, the Apis Cor 3D printer is mobile and was moved around the construction site by crane. Thus, only one Apis Cor’s machine and 3 workers were needed to 3D print wall structures of the entire building.

The whole process took place in an uncovered area, meaning such critical environment requirements for 3D printing material like temperature and humidity were uncontrolled. Apis Cor was able to conduct extensive R&D dedicated to testing the equipment under harsh climatic conditions and developing the 3D printing material.
Project breakdown:


the Apis Cor 3D printer is mobile and was moved around the construction site, image by Apis Cor

• Structural calculations: The modeling included: seismic actions, vertical action, floor masses and mass moments of inertia, structural model, modal analysis, accidental torsion effects, shear forces, displacements, damage limitations, internal forces.
• Foundation: conventional construction by General Contractor
• Walls: 3D printed by Apis Cor
• 3D Printing material: gypsum-based mixture developed by Apis Cor produced locally
• Reinforcement: 3D-printed formwork for columns manually filled with rebar and regular concrete.
• Slabs: Precast
• Roof, windows, insulation: conventional by General Contractor


Apis Cor 3D printer is mobile, image by: Apis Cor

Nikita Cheniuntai, CEO&Founder of Apis Cor: Construction 3D printing technology is only at the early stages of development. We do extensive R&D work to make the technology available for mass use. We are thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with Dubai Municipality.
The project gave us unique knowledge and invaluable experience that will help us improve our technology and develop a new version of our 3D printer. The improved version will be more reliable and time efficient [twice as fast]. Moreover, during the project we tested and improved our own-developed 3D mixture. This project is a huge step forward in the concrete 3D
printing industry.


image by: Apis Cor


inside the building, image by: Apis Cor


inside the building, image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


The total area of the building is 640 sq. meters image by Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


image by: Apis Cor


View from the inside, image by: Apis Cor