Artificial Engineering 3D prints ADRENA buildings in Saudi Arabia
3D concrete printing in the development of Red Sea Global’s entertainment district
Saudi company Artificial Engineering 3D printed the ADRENA buildings in concrete, an adventure and entertainment district developed by Red Sea Global at The Red Sea destination, which opened to the public in March this year and was officially completed on May 19. EXP Arabia, a joint venture between global engineering firm EXP and Saudi group Al Suwaiket, was responsible for the engineering and overall design, while Artificial Engineering’s team handled the construction printing. According to the company, the buildings took around two months to print, with the entire resort completed in less than three. The site operates entirely on renewable energy and incorporates lighting designed to reduce skyglow, a closed-loop seawater system, and 3D concrete printing, which was intended to reduce material consumption and construction waste.
ADRENA is built around curved forms that are not merely decorative, but instead guide visitor movement, define spaces, and create a softer transition between the architecture and the coastal landscape. Constructing such forms using conventional methods would require complex formwork, more material, and additional time, as each curved wall would first need to be shaped and then removed from the formwork. The entire district was designed around sustainability, with printing serving as a practical tool rather than a decorative addition. Extruding only as much concrete as needed reduces waste, which can be significant with traditional formwork and cutting methods.
How 3D concrete printing works
3D concrete printing, or 3DCP, involves extruding a specially formulated cementitious mixture layer by layer, without formwork, directly from a digital file. The main challenge lies in the material itself, as the mixture needs to be fluid enough to pass through the nozzle without clogging, yet set quickly enough to support subsequent layers before the previous ones collapse under their own weight. If this balance is not properly calibrated, the wall can slump or crack, meaning that the material formulation is just as important as the machine itself. The visible ridges created by successive layers, characteristic of 3D-printed concrete, are not a defect but a record of the manufacturing process.
Artificial Engineering operates its process using two types of equipment: a robotic arm for complex, customized geometries and details, and a gantry system for larger-scale structures. The company also uses its own dry mix, incorporating cement, pigments, and additives. This provides a practical advantage, as the material formulation and printing equipment need to be precisely matched.
Beyond buildings, the company offers concrete printing services ranging from single-story houses and multi-story villas to large, complex structures. It also produces smaller concrete elements, including benches, planters, and outdoor furniture. This distinguishes Artificial Engineering from a supplier focused on a single demonstration project, as printing forms part of its broader business model rather than being a one-off application.
The company describes itself as Saudi Arabia’s first factory specializing in concrete 3D printing and presents itself as a pioneer in the field. However, concrete walls had already been printed in the Kingdom by companies such as Danish manufacturer COBOD using its BOD2 printer. Artificial Engineering has named its flagship system MASAR, derived from the Arabic word for “path,” and promotes it as the world’s largest 3D concrete printing machine. This superlative should be treated with caution, as competing companies have made similar claims, and without published dimensions, it remains a marketing statement rather than a measurable specification.
Where the demand comes from
Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects under Vision 2030 provide concrete 3D printing with what the industry has been seeking for years: large-scale, real-world contracts instead of trade-show demonstrations. Demand at this scale is helping move concrete printing from a trade-show curiosity to a construction service that can be ordered by the square meter.
Artificial Engineering also mentions completing a phase at King Salman Park in Riyadh, where it reportedly produced service capsules. However, these figures come from the company’s own posts rather than independent sources, so I am treating them with caution.
