Dutch start-up MX3D is partnering with Heijmans, a Dutch construction company famous for its smart highway and Van Gogh-inspired bicycle paths, to build a steel bridge in the centre of Amsterdam using 3D printing.
The pedestrian bridge will be built by multi-axis industrial robots developed by MX3D and programmed to print metals, plastics and combinations of materials. The MX3D technique is more cost-effective and scalable than current 3D printing methods. Heijmans, which is collaborating with DUS Architects on a different 3D project in Amsterdam, the 3D Print Canal House, will contribute its experience in construction and technology to print the bridge.
According to Jan van de Ven, Heijmans’ manager of business development, the eventual aim is to create an automatic construction site, a concept where all parts of the construction process are coordinated in a predictable way, which minimises energy use and helps eliminate construction-related waste.
For designer Joris Laarman, the bridge will demonstrate that 3D printing has finally entered the world of large-scale functional objects and sustainable materials. He calls the symbolism of the bridge “a beautiful metaphor to connect the technology of the future with the old city in a way that brings out the best of both worlds.”
Photo credit: Heijmans
