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Amsterdam is known for its calm canals and winding alleys, its rich cultural history and its affinity for all kinds of pleasures. Historical monuments continue to charm tourists and residents alike between the city’s canals, while contemporary and sustainable architecture has put the booming Amsterdam-Noord district back on the map. Connecting Amsterdam’s past to its future, MX3D designers and engineers and Joris Laarman Lab developed the world’s first 3D printed bridge over one of Amsterdam’s oldest canals in De Wallen, the red light district of the city.
MX3D and Joris Laarman Lab collaborated with global engineering company Arup as well as a host of designers and 3D printing teams to develop the robot-welded bridge. Welding the traditional steel frame with a computer design, the stainless steel bridge symbolizes a link between Amsterdam’s past and its future. Stretching just over twelve meters in length, MX3D has equipped simple and technical robots with specially designed tools and controlled by integrated software that the design team has developed over two years.
Arup, the project’s senior structural engineer, practiced advanced parametric design modeling to streamline the bridge’s preliminary design process. Describing the development stages and the inspiration behind the construction of the bridge, MX3D notes: “The unique approach allows us to 3D print solid, complex and graceful metal structures. The objective of the MX3D Bridge project is to present the potential applications of our multi-axis 3D printing technology.
Currently open to the public, the bridge was inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Forming a stronger link between the possibilities of modern technology and respect for the city’s architectural integrity, the new Amsterdam Red Light District Bridge is a link between the past and the future.
Designers: MX3D, Joris Laarman Laboratory, & Arup
Using advanced parametric design modeling to streamline the initial bridge design process, engineers programmed software to control the construction and direction of the 3D printer.
Amsterdam’s 3D printed bridge merges classical architecture with modern technology.
Built off-site, the bridge was transported by boat to its final destination.
Winding through the canals of Amsterdam, the bridge was finally brought to its final destination in the red light district.
Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands unveiled the beginnings of the project in homage to Amsterdam’s rich cultural history.
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