The Masdar City Square in Abu Dhabi. ARCHIVE
Looking for a place to explore Abu Dhabi’s sustainable side? Masdar City Square offers visitors a mix of futuristic architecture, shaded pedestrian walkways, outdoor gathering spaces and nearby eco-attractions.
The site is about to get further upgrades, with Aldar and Mubadala Investment Company announcing on Wednesday (September 16) that they had jointly acquired Masdar City Square for Dh918 million.
Ali Eid AlMheiri, Executive Director of Diversified Assets at Mubadala’s UAE Investments Platform, said the joint venture aims to build a real estate portfolio that supports knowledge-driven industries, advances the UAE’s Net Zero ambitions and contributes to economic diversification. The complex has more than 47,000 square metres of net leasable area across seven office buildings.
The commercial and lifestyle hub features seven sustainable office buildings connected by shaded outdoor paths, plazas and community spaces. Its walkable layout offers a chance to enjoy Masdar City’s distinctive approach to urban design. Here’s what to see and do:
Admire the solar-powered architecture
One of the standout features is Abu Dhabi’s first net-zero energy office building, recognisable by its solar photovoltaic canopy made up of 1,033 panels. The building is designed to generate 109% of its annual energy needs.
Visitors can also look out for the square’s passive architectural features. Building heights and angles are designed to catch prevailing winds and provide shade, helping create cooler outdoor spaces.
Take a stroll through the pedestrian-friendly spaces
The square’s open layout links indoor lobbies with shaded outdoor areas, courtyards and plazas. With its vehicle-free public realm, it offers space to walk around and take in the architecture.
Relax at the amphitheatre plaza
The central outdoor amphitheatre serves as a gathering place for presentations and community activities. Visitors can also spend time in the shaded courtyards, which include outdoor workspaces and solar-powered benches with built-in mobile chargers and high-speed internet.
Explore Masdar City Central Park
A roughly 10-minute walk along vehicle-free paths leads to Masdar City Central Park. Attractions include the Masdar City Water Tower, which extracts humidity from the air to help water the park’s urban farm, as well as playgrounds powered by human movement.
Try the autonomous PRT pods
Visitors can experience Masdar City’s driverless Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) electric pods, which travel autonomously across the campus. Access and operating availability may vary.
Find cafés and food options nearby
The surrounding area has cafés, organic grocery markets and Flavours Hub, a community food hall featuring 12 dining options in upcycled shipping containers. ICA/Expat Media
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