The world’s largest 3D construction printer has been installed at a school construction site in Doha, Qatar. Manufactured by COBOD International and operated in partnership with UCC Holding, the BODXL printer was unveiled at a special VIP event this week.

The printer boasts monumental dimensions—50 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and 15 meters in height, making it more than four times larger than the next biggest 3D construction printer ever created. With its immense scale, the BODXL is capable of printing a building footprint of 1,500 square meters and structures up to five floors tall, totaling 7,500 square meters of built-up area.

But this is only the beginning. A second BODXL printer, identical in size, is already en route to Qatar and will be installed later this month at the same location. Once both machines are fully operational, they will collaborate to construct the largest 3D printed building in the world—a multi-thousand square meter school for Qatar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal.

The dual deployment of these advanced printers is a central part of what is set to become the world’s largest 3D construction automation project. The school, covering an estimated 40,000 square meters across two sites, will not only break records but redefine expectations for speed, sustainability, and precision in building design and execution.

This project is also expected to qualify for a Guinness World Record, marking the largest structure created using 3D printing technology. In addition to its ambitious size, the initiative aligns with Qatar’s long-term sustainability goals under the Qatar National Vision 2030, as it significantly reduces material waste and limits the carbon footprint compared to traditional construction methods.

Using COBOD’s third-generation BODXL machines brings a high level of automation and digital precision to the building process. The system ensures faster project completion and greater resource efficiency by reducing the need for manual labor and conventional materials.

Construction activities using the printer are expected to ramp up throughout 2025, bringing to life a futuristic educational facility through cutting-edge engineering. More than just a construction feat, the Doha school initiative is expected to be the first of a series of massive structures that can be created quickly, economically, and with minimal environmental impact through 3D printing.

While this sounds cool I am tired of these puff pieces! Where is the data? Cost, schedule, savings? What about a life cycle cost analysis so we can actually see why 3D printing is actually a better method for construction than by traditional means. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising a project like this is going on in Qatar where they can afford to overpay to demonstrate the latest technology but I’m really curious to see the financials on this. Are the margins better than 2%?