Modern Burj al-Hamam breaks record at the Floriade

This unique object has earned with this a well-deserved place in the Guinness World Records book. The ‘pigeon tower’ was designed by Dar & the Expo Pavilion group and printed by Saint-Gobain Weber Beamix in Eindhoven.

The Pigeon Tower

The 3D printed Burj al-Hamam pays tribute to the traditionally built pigeon towers in Qatar and is characterized by its special, architectural shape. During the migration season, the tower provides a shelter for more than a thousand pigeons. At the same time, it provides an ecological way of farming. Thanks to the clever construction, the pigeon droppings can be collected and used as fertilizer for local farms. Visitors to the Floriade can also get to know the 3D printed structure and construction inside and up close. Since many wild pigeons now gratefully use the tower, access is of course entirely at your own risk.

Groundbreaking design

The Burj al-Hamam was built without steel reinforcement or poured concrete. At 12.1 meters it is the highest 3D printed tower in the world. This is confirmed by a measurement by an official of Guinness World Records. To further reduce the carbon footprint, Saint-Gobain Weber Beamix has significantly reduced the energy requirement of the production process and the amount of material. As a result, up to 60% less CO2 was emitted for the towers than with the traditional way of building. In this way, the Weber Beamix concrete printing factory has pushed the boundaries of concrete printing even further.

Tower specifications

Total No. elements             65 pcs
Weight                                  56 tons
Volume                                 26 m3
Print time                             107 hours
3DCP mortar                        W160-3D
3DCP Factory                       Saint-Gobain Weber Beamix Eindhoven
Design                                   Dar & Expo Pavilion group
Construction Eng.               Witteveen+Bos
3DCP Eng.                             Saint-Gobain Weber Beamix
Constructor                          KPM3