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Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Year: 2009
Area: 6 ha campus
Contribution: Public realm and media guidelines
Client: Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company

Masdar is an ambitious, experimental new city being built in Abu Dhabi to demonstrate the potentials of low carbon development.  Designed by Norman Foster, the project incorporates a car free environment with natural ventilation and widespread use of  on-site photovoltaic power generation.  Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) is the first phase of the development, which has recently been completed. 

Dennis Frenchman was retained by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC to work with the Foster firm on design and programming of the public realm of MIST, including exterior and ground floor spaces.  Furthermore, to develop a strategy to make the environment digitally responsive, encouraging students and faculty to support the overall goal of low energy consumption in the project.  Working with the Foster firm, Frenchman designed a system that would make users aware of the energy performance of the environment through subtle changes in lighting, movable shading devices, and information devices places at strategic locations.  These devices would respond to queries by providing information on energy use of the surrounding space, compare the performance of MIST to other campuses like MIT, as well as collect information on the individual’s comfort level to help tune environmental conditions in real time


Collaborators: Michael Joroff / Foster Partners. ..