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Abu Dhabi-Backed Tech Sculpture To Be Installed In Houston

Created for the LAGI 2019 design competition in Abu Dhabi, the high-tech installation will double as a renewable power plant.

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abu dhabi-backed tech sculpture to be installed in houston
LAGI

“The world’s largest sundial”, designed by Berlin architect Riccardo Mariano, is set to be installed in the city of Houston, Texas, in the city’s East End neighborhood in 2024.

The project was made possible by the Land Art Generator Initiative partnership with Masdar City, an Abu Dhabi urban development dedicated to creating sustainable cities and lifestyles. For those unaware, Houston, Texas, is twinned with the capital of the United Arab Emirates, hence the connection.

the arco del tiempo houston 1

The 30-meter-tall sundial will be known as the Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) and functions as an interactive clock, casting sunlight onto the surface of Guadalupe Plaza Park. The installation’s geometry, carefully designed according to Houston’s latitude and longitude, is accurate throughout the seasons and hours of the day.

the arco del tiempo houston 2

However, the Arco del Tiempo is far more than just a sculpture. The project will also serve as a renewable energy power generation plant. The finished arch will incorporate solar modules on its south-facing side, generating around 400 megawatt-hours of electricity annually — the equivalent energy consumption of 40 local homes.

Also Read: Kuwait Bans Cryptocurrencies, Putting An End To Virtual Assets

“It was a pleasure to be part of the LAGI competition in 2019, and we’re very excited to see the winning entry come to life—particularly in Abu Dhabi’s sister city,” said Chris Wan, Associate Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Masdar City. “We know that public art plays a significant role in the fabric of a city, and Arco del Tiempo is so much more than public art: it will also educate the public about sustainability while celebrating and advocating for it. It’s a powerful combination. I hope to see more art like it in the cities of the future”.

Over its lifetime, the Arco del Tiempo is projected to generate over 12 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy, effectively removing 8,500 metric tons of CO2.

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LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

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luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

Also Read: Logitech’s New Folding Mouse Is Designed For Work On The Go

“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.

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