Dior has opened a pop-up store at Jumeirah beach in Dubai. The initiative, which coincides with the Dubai Expo includes two 3D printed pavilions created in collaboration with Italian 3D printer manufacturer WASP and is located at the Four Seasons Hotel in Nammos.

The pop-up is made up of two cylindrical modules, 3D printed by combining clay, sand and natural fibres through WASP’s sustainable construction 3D printing technology. WASP initially developed the technology to produce sustainable, low-cost housing in the world’s poorest areas.

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“Life is strange,” WASP founder Massimo Moretti wrote on his personal Facebook page, “you start out developing a process to provide a home as a birthright to every human. You work on it for a decade, self-funding all research and development. Then comes Dior, a company that represents the world’s most refined luxury, and they ask you to print their stores. And they offer to finance your development costs.”

The boutiques are covered with the house’s signature Cannage motif. Inside, Maria Grazia Chiuri‘s designs are displayed along with Dior Maison offerings adorned with the brand’s “Toile De Jouy” pattern. The rest of the space is decorated with white beach chairs and other neutral-toned furniture.

©Mohamed-Somji