ABU DHABI INDUSTRIAL PLANT
ABU DHABI, INDUSTRIAL PLANT
INDUSTRIAL
The Abu Dhabi Industrial Plant rethinks how essential infrastructure can coexist with the public realm. Paragon Middle East was commissioned to design the façade system for this high-performance industrial facility, with a brief focused on mitigating the visual and environmental impact of large-scale plant infrastructure within a rapidly urbanising coastal landscape.
Rather than concealing the plant behind solid barriers, the design adopts an open and integrated approach. Two façade concepts were developed to screen equipment while enhancing the overall identity of the site. The first explores a gradient transition—from green to solid—using vertical aluminium fins that shift in colour and density, visually grounding the facility into the surrounding landscape. The second design adopts an undulating profile, alternating between green walls and solid perforated panels, which introduce movement, texture, and rhythm across the façade.
Vegetation plays a crucial role in the envelope strategy. Hardy, drought-resistant species such as bougainvillaea were selected for their resilience, visual variation, and low maintenance demands. Positioned at varied heights and depths, planting softens the industrial character of the facility while contributing to shading and long-term cooling. This green integration supports year-round performance and contributes to reducing the urban heat island effect—a key consideration within the UAE’s demanding climate.
The façade scope encompasses approximately 40,000 m², developed in close coordination with engineers and contractors to ensure constructability and cost control. The system is designed as a modular, prefabricated solution for ease of installation and long-term maintenance. It screens critical mechanical and operational elements while remaining permeable enough to support airflow and operational access.
More than a façade, the intervention reframes the role of infrastructure within civic space, elevating an industrial facility into a designed landscape element that acknowledges both its function and its place in the evolving identity of the islands of Abu Dhabi.
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Size: 120,000 m²
Completion Year: Ongoing
Sector: Industrial