SURGE Sets the Bar for an Urban Hub – Zero Everything

  • SURGE neither produces emissions nor physical or airborne waste products.
  • The entire structure is composed of recycled and renewable materials.
  • It also has energy harvesting units that collect solar, wind, and pedestrian-generated mechanical energy, which is used to power surrounding residential, commercial, and research institutions.

Chinese architect Mingfei Sun has designed an environmentally oriented urban hub for Masdar CityAbu Dhabi. Titled SURGE, its natural aesthetics and technological forwardness are intended to communicate a J.M.W. Turner-esque awe for the power of nature, making it an oasis of high aesthetic and ecological value.

Courtesy of Mingfei Sun
Courtesy of Mingfei Sun
 

 

To enhance air movement in the streets of the city, SURGE aligns with prevailing wind movement patterns and the linearity of the existing urban fabric. This channels pleasant breezes through the site itself and reduces water demand for the irrigation of the park. As the shelter design additionally filters violent sunlight, the park is suited for the city’s hot and dry climate.

Furthermore, SURGE neither produces emissions nor physical or airborne waste products. The entire structure is composed of recycled and renewable materials. Moreover, this structure is composed of energy harvesting units that collect solar, wind, and pedestrian-generated mechanical energy, which is used to power surrounding residential, commercial, and research institutions.

Courtesy of Mingfei Sun
Courtesy of Mingfei Sun
 

 

Complementing this ecological focus is an aesthetic appreciation for the heritage of Arab art and culture, which serves as an inspiration for SURGE’s design. Thus, the park responds to both local climate and culture, serving as a meeting point for nature, tradition, and technology.

View the complete gallery

Courtesy of Mingfei SunCourtesy of Mingfei SunCourtesy of Mingfei SunExploded Site Plan. Image Courtesy of Mingfei SunPerspective Drawing. Image Courtesy of Mingfei Sun

This article was first published in Arch Daily and is republished with permission.

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Green Building Africa promotes the need for net carbon zero buildings and cities in Africa. We are fiercely independent and encourage outlying thinkers to contribute to the #netcarbonzero movement. Climate change is upon us and now is the time to react in a more diverse and broader approach to sustainability in the built environment. We challenge architects, property developers, urban planners, renewable energy professionals and green building specialists. We also challenge the funding houses and regulators and the role they play in facilitating investment into green projects. Lastly, we explore and investigate new technology and real-time data to speed up the journey in realising a net carbon zero environment for our children.

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