Installed in front of the Dubai international financial center (DIFC), the 3D printed pavilion titled Deciduous invited locals and visitors alike to explore the possibilities of sustainable technology.
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The project focuses around its title ‘Deciduous’, which refers to trees that shed leaves at the end of the fall season. Designed by MEAN* (Middle East Architecture Network), the abstract botanical project aims to reconnect its visitors with nature.
The Pavilion, comprises of three different sustainable materials — birch plywood flooring with a robotically 3D printed concrete base, and a series of 3D printed plastic polymers, recycled from 30,000 discarded water bottles. Installed without the need of heavy machinery, each of the parts are modular and prefabricated off-site. “In light of dubai’s focus on 3D printing as a sustainable technology, the hybridization of state-of-the-art robotic 3d printing in plastic and concrete is a first attempt to explore the possibilities that the two technologies can offer, contributing to the emirate’s vision of ecological construction growth towards 2025,’ explained MEAN* team.
The 11 feet tall pavilion creates an S-shaped pathway between the branches. While most of the materials are in their raw state, the tip of the branches fade into an orange color. MEAN* hopes to continue its experiments with 3D printing in design on an architectural scale, and contribute to the emirate’s vision of ecological construction growth in 2025.
