The Petroleum Institute campus lies between the Grand Mosque District and the Capital District in Abu Dhabi with visibility and access from the two main thoroughfares connecting the island to the mainland. The master plan responds to the regional prominence of the site through careful consideration of the views of the campus from the adjacent major thoroughfares, location of program devoted to the general public at the main entrance to the campus, and alignment of the main ceremonial axis with Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
These fundamental urban responses serve to organize the master plan design and ensure that the future campus will enhance the evolving urban experience of the adjacent areas of Abu Dhabi by considering the campus as an integral element in the urban fabric.
The technical approach to the campus master plan focuses on four primary strategies. First, the appropriate scale and program breakdown is established through careful estimation of future campus population and composition. Next, the optimal use and in some cases re-purpose of existing campus facilities is considered. When designating new building orientations and footprints, sustainable design principles of day-lighting, minimization of solar heat gain, creation of shaded outdoor environments, and flexibility of future program usage drive the design.
Finally, the creation of a unifying campus axis and climate-sensitive development of the landscaping completes the campus design approach. These strategies combine with a flexible phasing plan to propel the campus environment forward to meet emerging institutional needs while leveraging and connecting recent facility investments.
