Railway Station in Japan 3D Printed in Six Hours

30 April 2025: Japan based Serendix has built world’s first 3D-printed railway station in Arida, Japan which was constructed in six hours. It was constructed from four elements that were 3D printed in a factory and assembled at Hatsushima Station in under six hours.

At Hatsushima Station, Serendix constructed the shelter and its foundations in the six-hour time window between the last train service and the first service the next morning. It was made from four prefabricated parts – a roof, a back wall and two corner elements forming the side walls and floor – which were made in seven days in a factory.

A robotic arm and nozzle 3D printed the shell of the four parts in a specially-designed mortar that dries faster than standard mortar. Rebar and concrete were then poured into the 3D-printed parts to increase their strength. Its back wall features a 3D-printed mandarin orange design on one side and a cutlassfish on the other, representing Arida’s popular produce.

The station shelter is made up of four hollow elements that were filled with concrete. Serendix 3D printed the four elements vertically rather than horizontally, resulting in the buildup of printed layers creating a striped vertical pattern. The station will be open for use in July, following the completion of external works and the installation of ticket gates.