Saudi Arabia Builds its First 3D Printed House

Saudi Arabia has successfully developed the region’s first house using 3D printing technology. The project was taken on by Saudi Arabia’s National Housing and Industrial Development and Logistics Program in Riyadh in partnership with Dutch company CyBe.

The program is a part of Kingdom Vision 2030, the plan to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.

The 3D printed house is settled at the west of King Khalid International Airport in a housing ministry plot. The aim of the project is “keeping abreast of the technological progress in the world of the future construction and to benefit from the latest technologies in the world,” as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

SPA added that the house will be open for visitation in an effort to access specialists, workers, and others who would be interested in the sector of engineers, architects, and companies specializing in the field of construction.

Saudi Arabia has been making headlines around the globe for its groundbreaking 2030 vision, however also coming under fire for the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khasoggi inside Turkey's Saudi Consulate on October 2nd, an unprecedented incident which sparked widespread boycott calls against the kingdom and is set to have long-lasting, damaging effects on Saudi Arabia's business ties to key allies in the West. 

Main Image: Al Arabiya English