Dubai To Open First 3D-Printed Mosque In 2025

As per an announcement from Dr. Hamad Bin Al Sheikh Ahmad Al Shaibani, Director General of the Department of Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities in Dubai, the emirate is all set to start the project of building the world’s first 3D-printed mosque, which is expected to be open to the public in 2025.

3D-printed constructions aren’t something new to Dubai after all, as the emirate holds the Guinness World Record for having the world’s first 3D-printed commercial building, and also is the previous record holder of the world’s largest 3D-printed structure standing at a height of 9.5 meters.

The project is expected to start in October

The project is advancing under the vision and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Dubai.

The design of the mosque will be an experiment on how to apply modern technologies for improving efficiency as well as be a testament to Dubai’s willingness to be the world leader to take upon the task of implementing the latest technologies across all fields.

Dr. Hamad added that the project will require advanced cooperation between different local institutions and agencies, which will help much to make sure that the construction practices followed abides by the standards and values put forward by the internationally approved construction standards, thus enhancing the environmental sustainability system.

Eng. Ali Al-Halyan Al-Suwaidi, Head of Engineering of the Project, said that in the 3D printing technology, the process of mixing the industrial additives and raw materials and controlled and monitored by digital systems, which then molds them in any form that is required for the assembly of the mosque’s structure or any of its further elements as per the design plan.

To fabricate the molds, the design dimensions and other engineering information will be passed on to the software that controls the functions of the 3D printer. Once the dimensions and other instructions are received, the printer machine is capable of processing and forming the required molds with no human intervention required.

The latest project is part of the aim to keep Dubai at the center stage as the leader in the region in the fields of advanced technology and modernization. Moreover, the technologies utilized in this project will ensure that the cost and time involved to complete the project are reduced to a level that motivates rapid advancements in the field of construction and at the same time reduces carbon emissions and other environmental impacts that are usually associated with major construction projects.

Also, the 3D printing technology helps to utilize the raw materials in an efficient manner, as only the required number of construction pieces are built depending on the structure and surrounding infrastructure, thus further allowing for the reduction of the amount of waste generated.

As of now, the initial design stage of the mosque has been completed and the construction team is working with the Dubai Municipality to take the required approvals before proceeding with the construction. When completed, the mosque will be capable of holding 600 worshippers with a building area of 2000 sq. ft.

Talking about the construction stages of the proposed mosque, Eng. Ali Al-Halyan mentioned that the materials used in the construction of the mosque will be cement and other mixtures that are used in the pumping process from the 3D printer, there will be only a few workers associated with the ground-work of this entire project, largely associated with the controlling and monitoring tasks of the 3D printer.

Commencement of work is expected to begin at the start of the fourth quarter of 2023. The 3D printing process can take up to 4 months according to the current plan and with an estimated printing speed of 20cm per second / 2 square meters per hour. The fully completed mosque is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025.

Even though 3D printing is touted to be a cost-effective and efficient way to proceed with the requirement of the construction field, the 3D printed mosque project has a cost estimate that is 30 percent higher than ordinary construction projects.

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The increase in cost largely attributes to the size of the project itself, which is a first-of-the-kind one. As the experience improves in completing massive construction projects by the completion of the mosque, the team expects to bring down the costs soon to the levels of traditional construction, and eventually to an even-lower cost range.

Speaking at the announcement event, Mohammed Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Executive Director of the Mosques Affair Section, stated that the construction of the world’s first 3D-printed mosque in Dubai is part of the department’s plan to create several charitable destinations, including mosques, that are constructed using pioneering technology.

By building 3D-printed mosques and other structures under the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai aims at creating an efficient way to construct mosques using 3D printing technology, that follows all the international and local standards and can be followed by the entire world to have similar achievements.