Norman Foster is one of the designers behind the innovative design for a zero-carbon development; the project is called Masdar City and is situated in Abu Dhabi.
Masdar City combines state-of-the-art technologies with the planning principles of traditional Arab settlements to create a desert community that aims to be carbon neutral and zero waste.
The city itself will be the first modern community in the world to operate without fossil-fueled vehicles at street level. With a maximum distance of 200 meters to the nearest rapid transport links and amenities. It is designed to encourage walking, while its shaded streets and courtyards offer an attractive pedestrian environment, sheltered from climatic extremes. The land surrounding the city will contain wind and photovoltaic farms, research fields, and plantations, allowing the community to be entirely energy self-sufficient.
I like the fact this development is designed upon the concept of being self-sufficient and using renewable materials. I also like the fact that they have thought about the Arab culture and have incorporated this into their design, therefore keeping in mind the end-user as central to their approach. These are things I want to consider in my own project and design development.
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