Australian design team LAVA, which stands for Laboratory for Visionary Architecture, have scooped the prestigious prize of designing the centre of Masdar, which will be an eco-city in the middle of the harsh Arabian desert, 17 kms from Abu Dhabi. The architects won a prestigious international competition, securing their winning place despite hundreds of exceptional entrants. The city will make history by being the worlds first zero carbon, zero waste city, wholly powered by renewable energy sources.
The founders of LAVA, Chris Bosse,Tobias Wallisser and Alexander Rieck envision an ethical oasis amidst the barren wilderness, incorporating their ethos of bridging the gap between the real world and the dream world. The designers have endeavoured to couple innovative and eye catching architecture with the principles of sustainable technology. The city will feature a plaza, much like those of European cities, a 5 star hotel, an entertainment complex, shopping centre, hotel and convention centre, all reliant on recycled energy.
The architects have integrated heat sensitive technology which aims to control ambient temperature at all times of the day, making the eco-city not only an ethical place to be, but a pleasant one. These function by adjusting the angle of shade from giant umbrellas based on the position of the sun, use heat sensitive lamps to adjust the level of lighting according to the proximity of pedestrian traffic and mobile phone usage, and adjust how strongly water features flow by a motion sensor, set-off by passers-by. Roof gardens seek to integrate food production, energy generation, water efficiency and the reuse of organic food waste.
The main plaza will feature giant umbrellas affectionately dubbed ‘petals from heaven’, which tower above the city, mastered by imitating the design of sunflowers. These uniquely designed shades will offer protection from the hot sun during the day, actively store heat and fold away in the evenings; the stored energy will provide warmth during the cold Arabian nights.
Bosse has said of his master plan for Masdar: “Masdar City is the world’s most prestigious project focusing on sustainable energy design. It is the city of the future and a global benchmark for sustainable urban development. We believe in the Masdar slogan: ‘One day all cities will be like this’.”
Due for completion in 2016 and expected to cover six million square meters when finished, this remarkable city, hailed to be an infusion of groundbreaking science, iconic architectural identity and astounding beauty, is set to be an amazing oasis of the future.
Source: Australian Design Review
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