Printing the Office of the Future By Carlie Wagner What 3D printing can do for your office now and in the future. In Issue 12, I mentioned that Dubai was about to be home to the first 3D printed office building. Two months later, the space is up and running. Inspired by this impressive feat, I wanted to delve into this plan in a bit more detail, and examine what it really might mean to work in “The Office of the Future.” The Building Appropriately located on the campus of the Museum of the Future, the world’s first 3D printed office building incorporates modern design aesthetics and plenty of greenery to create a warm and vibrant 2,600 square-foot office space. Designed by Gensler and printed by WinSun, the printed office concept began with simple prototypes on a desktop printer. Once the designers were ready to move on to the full-size version, the process went very quickly. In just 17 days, the entire structure was printed in China, shipped to Dubai in pieces, and installed. Not only was the building process incredibly short, it also utilized relatively few resources. The printing and installation required only 18 employees: one to monitor the printing process, seven to install the building components on-site, and ten electricians and other specialists to complete the building. In a final tally, the completed office building reduces energy use, cuts labor costs in half, reduces material costs by 30 percent, and significantly lowers construction time. 26 www.cadlearning.com Beyond the Structure Originally, every component inside the 3D printed office, including furniture, was supposed to be 3D printed. While that plan did not come to fruition, I thought that it would be interesting to take a look at just what office accessories can be printed right now, and what may be just around the corner. Supplies Supplies are one of the simplest office features that you can print. From file organizers to binder clips, a 3D printer gives you access to 3D printed supplies in moments. The biggest advantage of printing your own supplies is that it allows you to create all of those little things that are difficult to find but really make your life easier at the office. Take, for example, these custom white board marker clips we designed and printed. Repairs A 3D printer makes small office repairs quick and easy. Have a broken chair? Just print a new