Foster+Partners
Location
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi
Soft Cells Broadline panels by Kvadrat Acoustics were chosen as the acoustic ceiling solution, as they allow easy access to all the service channels behind the panels.
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in Abu Dhabi, the world’s first graduate-level university focused solely on sustainability, is a “living laboratory” where students learn in a setting powered entirely by renewable energy. As part of Masdar City, the campus was designed to integrate cutting-edge, sustainable solutions across all aspects, including acoustics. MIST required acoustic solutions that met high sustainability standards, offered visual appeal, and allowed easy access to service channels for ongoing maintenance. Ensuring a functional, quiet environment for research and learning spaces was essential.
Soft Cells Broadline panels were selected as the acoustic ceiling solution. These panels met the institute’s high sustainability requirements and provided convenient access to service channels, ensuring both functionality and ease of maintenance. Additionally, the panels offered a visually pleasing design that blended seamlessly with the campus’s modern aesthetic.
Marilu Sicoli, Senior Partner, Architect at Foster+Partners, “We liked the idea of a complete system that provides visual satisfaction and flexibility in one acoustic solution” emphasizing the panels' blend of function and form.
Through Kvadrat Acoustics’ solutions, Masdar Institute was able to enhance the quality of its learning spaces, maintain its sustainability objectives, and continue its mission as a pioneering “living laboratory” dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.