Dubai to construct the world’s first 3D-printed mosque

In recent years, 3D printing has been used to create everything from homes to businesses and even bridges. Now, Dubai is preparing to build the world’s first 3D-printed mosque.

The mosque will house 600 worshippers and span 2,000 square meters across two floors, according to Ali Mohammad Alhalyan Alsuwaidi, head of engineering at Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD). Made from a concrete mix, construction is slated to begin by the end of the year, with completion expected by the first quarter of 2025.

“We chose to 3D-print the mosque because it’s an innovative technology that could save both time and resources compared to traditional construction methods,” said Alhalyan Alsuwaidi. IACAD has not revealed the company responsible for the project.

3D-printing construction involves large machines programmed with design data. These machines extrude the building material layer by layer, creating the structure. While most 3D-printed buildings are made with concrete, other materials, such as clay, can also be used.

Revolutionizing the construction industry

Dubai has set its sights on becoming the global hub for 3D printing, launching its '3D Printing Strategy' in 2018 with a goal to have 25% of all new construction in the emirate 3D-printed by 2030.

By 2019, Dubai had already broken the record for the world’s largest 3D-printed structure—the Dubai Municipality building, standing 9.5 meters tall and covering 640 square meters. The emirate is also home to the world’s first 3D-printed office and a 3D-printed drone research lab.

New 3D-printed structures are emerging around the world, from refugee housing in Jordan and shelters for the homeless in Austin, Texas, to large-scale projects like the 3,800 square foot Camp Swift military training center and entire neighborhoods, such as the New Story initiative in Tabasco, Mexico, aimed at providing homes for families in need.

Theo Salet, dean of the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, advocates for the modernization of the construction sector through technologies like 3D printing.

“With a growing demand for construction, a shortage of skilled workers, the need for an energy transition, and the push for sustainability, a significant amount of construction will be required in the coming decades,” he noted.

“Digital design and construction will streamline the process, reduce costs, prevent failures, address the labor shortage, and provide an opportunity to rethink designs with sustainability in mind,” he explained.

Salet believes that Dubai’s planned 3D-printed mosque marks the next step in architectural innovation but predicts that the project will encounter its share of challenges along the way.

“Bringing a large and visually striking project like this to life is undoubtedly a major challenge, with a scale that’s unprecedented,” he remarked. “There’s no question that 3D printing will succeed, but the visual plans made must be feasible in practice. This is a project of immense scale and ambition, and in my view, it’s an opportunity to learn, with room for mistakes along the way.”