The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology is the first building to be completed in this ambitious, carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi. Thomas Lane of Building takes a tour.
Masdar City is behind schedule, but Lane was able to see a lot of the infrastructure already in place.
He writes, "The entire city is built on a 7m high concrete podium because this creates the space needed for the network of personal rapid transit (PRT) vehicles which get people around. Above is a pedestrianised world. The idea is people park their cars on the edge of the city and walk to the PRT station.
The vehicles travel on a network of roads under podium level, magnets set into the ground at regular intervals and a single wire at roof level guide the vehicles. The initial arrival station and the one at the Masdar institute are nearly finished."
Read the full story: First images: Foster's vision for Masdar City takes shape Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=748&storyc
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