'Solar umbrellas' for Masdar

The solar-powered 'sunflower' umbrellas capture the sun?s rays during the day and fold at night

Giant ‘solar umbrellas’ are set to become an iconic feature of the central plaza of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. This is according to the winning design for the eco-city by international practice the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA), headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

The solar-powered ‘sunflower’ umbrellas capture the sun’s rays during the day and fold at night, releasing the stored heat. They follow the direction of the sun so as to provide continuous shade during the day, and are suitable to any desert-type environment in the world, said LAVA founder Chris Bosse.

LAVA’s design for Masdar City includes the central plaza, a five-star hotel, a convention centre and entertainment complex and retail facilities. The design also includes a number of integrated sustainable design features such as adaptive building façades that adjust to capture sunlight and wall surfaces that adapt to changing temperatures.
 

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FEATURED COMMENT Wow! That's an amazing idea! I wish they had this in my city! Plus they look nice. I can just amagine the cost! It would   2 Comments Read more comments »