Saudi Arabia opens world's first 3D-Printed mosque

CAIRO - 29 March 2024: The world's first 3D-printed mosque, known as the "Abdul Aziz Abdullah Sharbatly Mosque," has opened its doors to worshippers in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The new mosque, which covers an area of 5,600 square meters, was built on the initiative of Saudi businesswoman Wajnat Mohammed Abdul Wahid, in dedication to the soul of her late husband.

It took about 6 months to build using 4 construction printers manufactured by the Chinese company Guanli.

According to Saudi press reports, the Saudi woman wanted to contribute to the introduction of this modern technology to Saudi Arabia to be one of the first countries to use it, making it the first mosque in the world to be built using 3D printing technology.

This is not the first time 3D printers have been used to build structures in Saudi Arabia. The first 3D-printed concrete industrial building was constructed in the Huwayah area of Taif Governorate in Mecca in March of last year. It was 3.85 meters high and had an area of 63 square meters.

The building was completed in record time with a printing speed of 100 millimeters per second on a fixed printer that can print on an area with dimensions of 7 meters long, 4 meters wide, and 4 meters high. In early 2022, the first house was also built using 3D printing technology in Riyadh, on land owned by the Ministry of Housing west of King Khalid International Airport.

3D printing technology for homes has seen rapid development, offering revolutionary solutions for building a sustainable future. The technology is used to print the walls and roofs of houses using various materials such as concrete, plastic, and clay, which helps reduce costs and increase construction speed.

This construction method is much faster than traditional methods, which helps meet the growing demand for housing.

Some studies estimate that the cost of building homes using 3D printing can be 30% lower than the cost of traditional construction. In addition to being more sustainable than conventional construction methods, this method allows for the creation of custom home designs, giving owners more options.

Despite these positives, the cost of 3D printers remains high, which hinders their widespread use. Additionally, some of the materials used in 3D printing are still under development, which raises some concerns about their safety and durability.