3D Printed Airport Building Shows Where Construction AM Really Makes Sense

Beyond Houses: Infrastructure is Where Construction 3D Printing Shines

While much of the attention on 3D printed construction focuses on houses, a new project at Milan Bergamo Airport demonstrates a potentially more valuable application: critical infrastructure in high-security, high-value environments.

WASP, the Italian construction 3D printing company, has completed a new airport services structure at Milan Bergamo Airport. Named "Ol Casél" (meaning "the small house" in the local dialect), the building serves as a rest and relaxation area for customs staff, complete with toilets and seating.

The Project

Developed for airport operator SACBO by construction firm EDILCO in collaboration with WASP, the entire project was completed in just 19 days — with only 7 days of actual 3D printing. The remaining time was spent on doors, windows, and roof installation.

The project used WASP's Crane construction 3D printer, which boasts a build volume of 8,200 mm by 3,200 mm and can print up to 200 mm/s. This massive machine weighs over 700 kilos and stands over five meters tall, featuring a pumping system and twin screw extruder specifically designed for construction-scale printing.

Why This Matters More Than Printed Houses

As the article from 3DPrint.com correctly points out, 3D printed infrastructure in secure environments like airports makes more economic sense than residential construction in many cases:

• Reduced site time — Printing took only 7 days, minimizing disruption to airport operations
• Security cost savings — Fewer temporary workers and construction vehicles mean lower security overhead
• Minimal operational impact — No need to close runways, gates, or restrict airport access for extended periods
• Environmental benefit — Used lime-based mortar instead of regular cement, reducing emissions

In high-security or high-value environments, the costs of managing construction site access, monitoring visitors, and coordinating temporary facilities often exceed the actual construction costs. A shorter timeline directly translates to meaningful savings.

WASP's Growing Portfolio

This isn't WASP's first major infrastructure project. The Crane WASP, introduced in 2018, has been used to print buildings in Japan using soil, sustainable earth-based homes in Italy, and even a concept store for Dior in Dubai.

What sets WASP apart is their commitment to diverse materials beyond concrete, including earth-based mortars and sustainable building compounds. This aligns with their stated mission of using 3D printing to create more sustainable and accessible construction solutions.

The Future of Construction AM

While 3D printed houses grab headlines, infrastructure projects like Ol Casél represent a more immediately profitable application for construction 3D printing. Airports, military facilities, nuclear plants, and integrated petrochemical facilities all share one characteristic: downtime costs enormous amounts of money.

In these environments, the ability to print a functional building in under a week while maintaining normal operations isn't just convenient — it's transformative.