It’s finally open to the public!
In 2015, Amsterdam-based company MX3D printed the world’s first-ever 3D printed steel bridge and since then we’ve been eagerly anticipating the day when we’d be able to walk across it. Well, wait no longer because that day has finally come! 6 years since its creation, the MX3D bridge is now in place in Amsterdam and open to the public!
On Thursday 15 July it was opened by Queen Máxima, and since then people have been visiting to see what this world-first really looks like. It has been placed across the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal, between De Stoof on one side and Hospital Bar on the other. So, it’s quite a small bridge, perfect for one of Amsterdam’s slimmest canals, and the steel curves slightly, with a very sleek design.
It’s not to everyone’s tastes, but we think it looks quite attractive, and it will certainly attract a lot of visitors to the city. It has been given sensors to monitor the impact of tourism in the Red Light District, as well as showing researchers how the bridge withstands constant use. It will also be able to give data on other lines of enquiry, and a lot of companies have contributed to this project, from The Alan Turing Institute to Lenovo, Imperial College London and Arup.