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Collaboration and Partner Network
Collaboration and Partner Network
Collaboration and Partner Network
Collaboration and Partner Network

As designers we are used to dive into unknown areas. While working with a group on one day on the concept for a museum inside an airport, the next day we are researching a sustainable, environmental friendly and low-cost fertiliser. In other words we are generalists and specialists at the same time, but we are aware that innovation only happens due to the interconnection of disciplines. We are happy to be located at the true center of interdisciplinartity – NYUAD's Experimental Research Building. Surrounded by the Core Technology Platforms and numerous research labs of our colleagues we are inspired every day by cutting-edge innovations in fields like computer engineering, neuroscience, game theory, or civil engineering, to just name a few.

If you are interested in a first meeting or a workshop to kick-off a future collaboration for the development of content related technologies or site-specific installations, in exploring new kinds of experiences, or in sponsoring existing projects, just get in touch.


Collaboration with cultural institutions, governmental organisations, and the industry.

We strongly believe that interdisciplinarity is the model of the future. Therefore NYUADs Lab for Narrative Technologies and Spatial Installations collaborates with cultural institutions and foundations, specially in the UAE and the WANA region, as well as the industry. The goals of a collaboration are to develop concepts and to create use-cases, and to realise those in form of:

  • Prototypes of new products
    We research the digital society and translate trends into new kinds of medial devices. We focus on high user experiences (UX), intuitive user interfaces (UI) and Embodied Human Computer Interaction (HCI) often in the context of Internet of Things (IoT), E-Textiles and Smart Materials.

  • Site-specific installations for architectural spaces
    We research architectural spaces to develop installations and Media Architectures with a highly technological character and strong narratives. Of use for e.g. EXPO 2020 pavilions, museums, visitor centres, showrooms, entrance halls, airports, hotel lounges, parks etc.

We collaborate/collaborated with the following institutions:

Selection of partners we teamed-up with from the design industry:


National and International collaboration activities with universities and research centers.

Research projects are intrinsically interdisciplinary. Our research concentrates on Experimental Sustainable Designs, Future Technologies, and Social Compositions & Communal Infrastructures. We aim to create opportunities for collaborative work with other departments from NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, NYU Shanghai, as well as relevant academic institutions all around the world. NTSI Lab already networks with the following academic partners:

  • American University of Sharjah (UAE), Rose Armour (Head of AUS Sustainability)
  • American University of Sharjah (UAE), CAAD XR-Lab)
  • Academy of Fine Arts Sarajevo (BA), Dept. of Graphic Design, Dept. of Product Design, Prof. Sandro Drinovac, Denisa Secerbajtarevic
  • Beuth University of Applied Sciences (GER, Berlin), Computer Science and Media Department, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kristian Hildebrand
  • University of the Arts Berlin (GER, Berlin), Class for Exhibitiondesign, Prof. Pablo Dornhege (2016–2018)
  • Zayed University Dubai (UAE), College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Prof. Adina Hempel
  • Zayed University Abu Dhabi (UAE), College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Prof. Dahlia Mahmoud (2016–2018)

At New York Universities Global Network:

  • NYUAD Core Technology Platform: Advanced Manufacturing and Electronics (Jumana Ibrahim, former collaboration with Khulood Alawadi)
  • NYUAD Core Technology Platform: Light Microscopy / Material Characterization (James Weston)
  • NYUAD Center for Emirati and Global Heritage Studies ‘Dhakira’, Prof. Robert Parthesius, NYU Abu Dhabi (UAE)
  • NYUAD Cultural Heritage and Materials NMR Group, Maria Baias
  • NYUAD Ecoherence Group
  • NYUAD Office of Executive Education, NYU Abu Dhabi (UAE)
  • NYUAD Plastic Recycling Ressearch Lab, NYU Abu Dhabi (UAE)
  • NYUSH Interaction Lab, Marcela Godoy

From 2018 until 10/2023 NTSI Lab was part of NYUAD's Center for Interacting Urban Networks (CITIES), an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to advance urban science and promote cutting-edge research that fosters sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities. CITIES’ research focuses on the interactions between the physical, digital, and social layers. To that end, it leverages the expertise of faculty members from all NYUAD’ divisions (Engineering, Science, Social Science, and Arts and Humanities), and world-renowned scientific collaborators from multiple institutions, as well as stakeholders across the UAE and abroad. CITIES scholars synergistically work to establish a vibrant and globally recognized knowledge hub for urban networks, to bridge the gap between scientific significance and practical value.

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