Twenty-five 3D-printed concrete benches will be installed this spring on the Mircea cel Batran Avenue in Chisinau. They were produced as part of the Sustainable Green Cities project, funded by the Global Environment Facily and implemented by the UNDP, IPN reports.
According to an UNDP press release, the benches were made after a 3-in-1 model and include a seating portion, a flower pot and a garbage bin. 3D-printing creates objects by dispensing materials layer after layer via special nozzles. It allows the creation of urban furniture in all kinds of shapes, faster and cheaper than traditional technologies.
Elena Meseat, manager of 3D Stroy, explained that the 3D-printer’s work is controlled by a computer via special software. This technology ensures the uniformity of the process and allows for a variety of shapes. The process is automatized and the only human labor involved is refilling the concrete reservoir. Printing a bench takes around 8 hours.
Her company won a grant competition announced in 2018 by UNDP, meant to support new and innovative solutions for eco-friendly urban development. “We want to encourage innovative initiatives that tackle the challenges of urbanization, that increase the people’s comfort and also have a positive impact on the environment”, said Alexandru Rotaru, UNDP project manager.
The Sustainable Green Cities for Moldova project runs from 2018 to 2022, with a budget of $2.72 million.