News

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.

Published

3 years ago

July 31, 2023

Nour Nasir

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.

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“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.

News

For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.