Aedas R&D

Masdar Hotel and Conference Centre is a flagship development at the centre of the first car-free, zero carbon, zero-waste, solar powered development in the Middle East. In addition to the Hotel and Conference Centre the project comprises a transport interchange, a retail centre, a residential block, a leisure centre and Masdar Square – a large public piazza. The competition scheme was developed in collaboration with our Manchester office.

The design proposal utilises the overshadowing of building form and sculptural shading devices to protect from direct solar radiation whilst allow daylight to penetrate pedestrian and internal areas, creating intricate patterns of light. In particular, the hotel shading scheme developed by the Advanced Modelling Group, allows sky views to the North and uses variations in opening density to concentrate reflected daylight on areas of internal activity.