Dubai plans to build the world's first 3D-printed mosque

Dubai aspires to build the world's first 3D-printed mosque, that will cover an area of 2,000 square meters over two floors and will accommodate about 600 worshippers. The project is scheduled to start at the end of this year and its completion is expected in the first quarter of 2025.

The head of engineering at the Dubai Government's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department said that 3D printing was chosen as it is a new and innovative technology that could potentially save time and resources in comparison with traditional building methods.

Furthermore, the construction of the mosque will be based on a concrete mix; it should be mentioned that most 3D-printed structures are made of concrete even if other materials like clay are also possible for printing. The process of building structures with 3D-printing involves using big printing machines that are fed with design information. The machines then deposit construction material through a nozzle, building the structure layer by layer.

Dubai aims to become the world's 3D-printing capital and launched a "3D Printing Strategy" in 2018, with the aim of having 25% of new construction in the emirate 3D-printed by 2030. In all, the world's largest 3D-printed structure, the Dubai Municipality building, is already standing in the city, and it is also home to the world's first 3D-printed office and a 3D-printed drone research laboratory.

According to Theo Salet, dean of the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology, there will be a significant amount of construction work that needs to be completed in the upcoming decades. This need arises from several factors, such as the shortage of skilled construction workers, the necessity to transition to sustainable energy, and the requirement for the industry to become more environmentally friendly. Despite the potential for 3D-printing to save time and resources, challenges remain in realizing large-scale and eye-catching projects, and mistakes should be possible in projects, like Dubai’s proposed mosque, of a large scale and ambition.