Australia’s First 3D Printed Amenities Block Is Underway

3D printing construction is making its mark Down Under! In Dubbo, a city in New South Wales, Australia, the regional council has announced that 3D printing will be used to build a new amenities block in Macquarie Lions Park West. Expected to open in August this year, the 148 square meter 3D building is being constructed by Contour3D using 25 tonnes of Contour3D’s own material, Countourcrete, a specially-designed concrete containing 40% recycled materials.

This is not the first time we have heard of a large 3D printing construction project from Contour3D. The Australian company has been charged with a number of buildings including a 3D printed holiday park, also in Dubbo. The company is dedicated to creating sustainable solutions for buildings targeting especially affordable housing. This latest project falls under a similar vein as it seeks to improve accessibility and increase the number of toilets in Lions Park all while keeping environmental concerns and costs in mind.

The start of construction (left); the design of the final 3D printed amenities block (right)

Indeed, according to Ian Whipple, Manager Major Projects at Dubbo Regional Council, “The amenities block will be ‘printed’ using high strength concrete with significantly lower environmental impacts and wastage, and is expected to result in considerable savings to Council, compared to traditional construction methods.” Local news reported that the construction would not only be larger than the previous block, but would be $178,000 AUD cheaper.