One of the Largest 3D Scale Models Ever Built

PRINTie 3D fabricated a massive 3.6 × 4.4 meter topographic scale model of the Harrat Uwayrid Nature Reserve in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.

Led by the IUCN Regional Office for West Asia in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the project aimed to facilitate participatory mapping workshops with local communities.

Over 5 days, the model served as a hands-on tool for community engagement. Local stakeholders physically mapped camel grazing paths, traditional hunting areas, eagle nesting sites, and medicinal plant zones directly on the 3D terrain.

The participatory approach ensured that indigenous knowledge was formally captured and integrated into conservation planning — a first for the region at this scale.