【3D Printing】 Bambu Lab and Meland Jointly Open China's First 3D Printing Creativity Center for Children
Cyber Brick City returns in a new form—captivating children with interactive stories, immersive design, and 3D printed landscapes.
Last week, Bambu Lab and meland (Meland) – a premium brand in China’s family indoor entertainment industry – jointly announced the launch of a groundbreaking educational project. This is not only a first for China but also an extremely rare endeavor globally.
Located in the heart of Shenzhen MixC World, the first technology-themed store integrating 3D printing technology with children's education has officially opened.
However, this is by no means an ordinary entertainment center.
It embodies greater ambitions and deeper imagination.
The meland × Bambu Lab Creativity Center in Shenzhen is China's first venue where children aged 5 to 12 can systematically learn 3D printing technology.
The curriculum is broadly divided into two levels:
1. In the introductory level, under the guidance of an instructor, children learn how 3D printers work and experience the entire process from creating a model to printing it.
2. In the exploratory level, they design simple 3D models with their own hands and print them out during class.
Each child takes home their own tangible creation—an item conceived, designed, and completed entirely by their own hands.
| meland: Learning Through Play
Meland has deep roots in the family indoor play sector, operating numerous large-scale, immersive play areas within shopping malls, designed for parent-child enjoyment. These facilities not only offer traditional physical play equipment but also skillfully integrate educational and creative elements.
Currently, Meland's presence spans over 70 cities across China, with more than 140 directly managed stores.
Since its inception, the brand's philosophy has consistently been based on a seemingly simple yet difficult-to-achieve principle:
"Learning through play, and play through learning."
This is not merely a slogan, but a profound guideline that shapes every decision in curriculum development and event planning.
When Bambu Lab and meland began discussions about cooperation, both sides quickly realized they were headed in the same direction. Bambu Lab brought technological expertise and global community resources, while meland possessed excellent facility infrastructure and the ability to directly reach families.
What each had was exactly what the other needed.
Thus, this collaboration became a strategic partnership, with the Shenzhen Creativity Center being its first step. According to representatives from both companies, this is just the beginning.
| No Longer "A 3D Printer in the Corner"
For many years, 3D printing in educational settings was often seen as a "novelty device." Machines were relegated to a corner, occasionally used to print small items – but there was rarely a systematic, clear curriculum that properly explained to children what was happening and why it mattered.
The Shenzhen Creativity Center takes a completely different approach.
The overall learning space is designed for children aged 5-12, offering two course systems: introductory and exploratory.
In the first level, children operate Bambu Lab printers with an instructor, learning the basic principles of this technology and experiencing the entire printing process from start to finish.
Then, at the exploratory level, learning deepens further: children learn how to translate ideas in their minds into simple 3D models, print them out during class, and take home their own designed creations.
This distinction is extremely important:
· If they simply print ready-made models, children only learn how to operate a machine.
· However, when they design a model themselves and watch it take shape before their eyes, they learn more than just technology.
· They understand that ideas can become reality.
· They learn that tools exist in this world that can transform imagination into tangible objects.
· And they realize that the process from concept to finished product is not some distant concept, but an ability that anyone can touch, learn, and master.
Within the experience area, a 3D printing display wall is also set up, featuring the Bambu Lab A1 printer, allowing visitors to intuitively experience the beauty of technology and the wisdom of machines.
To ensure the entire curriculum runs smoothly, Bambu Lab also provides systematic training to the Meland team. Staff members are not only able to operate the equipment but also guide the courses, answer children's questions, and help parents understand the technology—and many parents are just as curious as their children.
| Cyber Brick City Returns in a New Form
However, the courses are not the entirety of the experience. What makes the meland × Bambu Lab Creativity Center truly special is the amazing new installation created specifically for this space:
Cyber Brick City — the children's edition.
Those familiar with 3D printing industry trends might recognize the name. Cyber Brick City originally debuted at Bambu Lab's headquarters and flagship exhibition space in Shenzhen, and later made an appearance at Formnext 2025.
Composed entirely of 3D printed parts, this miniature city quickly became recognized as one of the most iconic ways to demonstrate Bambu Lab's device capabilities, thanks to its striking visual impact and intricate technical expression.
Now, this concept has been reimagined in a new version, specifically reconstructed for this location and its young audience.
This is not merely a reproduction, but a complete re-creation.
The design team created a miniature city centered around the iconic equipment that symbolizes Meland's playgrounds. The streets, buildings, and play structures are all 3D printed, designed with children, who are new to this device, in mind.
The lighting, motion effects, and attention to structural and visual detail elevate this work beyond a static display.
Watching "Cyber Brick City" is not passive observation. It is an experience, a dialogue with the imagination.
Children instinctively seek out familiar elements, ask countless questions, and want to know how what they see before them came to be.
And this is precisely the true intention.
| Why Now?
For many years, China's family entertainment industry has shown steady growth, but in recent years, this growth has accelerated even further. By 2024, the total market size is projected to exceed 100 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of over 20%.
Parents are no longer just looking for a place for their children to spend an afternoon. What they truly seek are activities that offer educational value, foster emotional connection, and nurture creativity.
Research from the China Tourism Academy also supports this shift: 61.4% of parents expect family activities that allow them to gain knowledge while also deepening emotional bonds.
The industry had already recognized this trend—but finding truly effective technology for children's entertainment spaces proved more difficult than imagined.
And 3D printing almost perfectly aligns with these expectations.
It provides children with a complete creative pathway from idea to design and physical manifestation. It demands independent thinking and self-determination, encourages parent participation, and leaves behind tangible results—printable creations they can take home.
Therefore, the Shenzhen Creativity Center is by no means the end of the story.
Both companies state that they will continue to regularly host events and courses at this facility centered on "learning through play." Furthermore, this collaboration has significant potential for further expansion through Meland's vast network of stores across China.
The infrastructure is in place.
The project is ready.
The technology has been mature for many years.
Now, there's only one thing left: for the children themselves to discover what they can create.
And in Shenzhen, that journey of discovery has already begun.
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