New Power Generation
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“Sand Dune Clouds" Designed by Town Planning Design and Architecture: Boguslaw F. Witkowski, Maciej T. Starewicz, Elmar Hess -
"Choreographies in the Sky" Designed by Carlos Campos Yamila Zynda Aiub Architects with team members Ignacio Savid, Rafael Lorenzo, and Martin Dellatorre -
Just as if they were living, breathing structures, the “Desert Blooms” in this proposal are flora-inspired, gas-filled balloons (acting as solar concentrator devices) that follow the path of the sun during the day and lay down to rest at night; Visitors would see different alignments of the colorful floating structures depending on the time of day and season. With a total of 51 balloons covering the Desert Blooms site, the design would generate enough energy to power roughly 15,000 homes. Design by: Jude D’Souza, Suprio Bhattacharjee, Vittal Sridharan, and Kush Patel (ETT Architects) -
For those in need of some cooling shade from the desert’s beating sun, “FERN” (Future/Energy/Renewable/Nature) provides cover as well as gentle lighting for visitors and existing wildlife. Hovering overhead like giant dragonflies, the FERN structures would collect energy through semi-transparent and flexible solar cell panels, and like Desert Blooms, would change position based on the sun’s movement. At night, when there’s no need for casting shadows below, the structures would position themselves upright, illuminating the sky. Design by: Takuya Onishi -
Renewable energy structure meets futuristic concert venue with the “Solar Organ” design. A thermoacoustic hot air engine would transform solar energy into electricity and sound, which is then emitted out of the glass resonator tubes above. The beauty of this design is that its tonal mechanics can be manipulated, allowing composers and musicians to customize the musical scale to fit their own solar-powered melodies. Design by: Sarat Babu, Andrew Brand, Gianpaolo Fusari, Matt Johnson, and Nick Reddall (Bread LTD) -
A number of designs paid especially close attention to the ecological as well as cultural context of the United Arab Emirates-based installations. “Solar ECO System,” for example, represents the exact planetary alignment of the solar system on December 2, 1971, the day that the UAE was founded. A different combination of photovoltaic panels would be used to construct each individual planet, which could also be used as pavilions for hosting public activities and events. Design by: Antonio Maccà and Flavio Masi -
One of the more sculptural submissions, “Tetras” is a design inspired by traditional Middle-Eastern tile art. An open-air pavilion and multi-use outdoor plaza would be constructed out of colorful, tetrahedral building blocks, which would harness energy through a combination of transparent, translucent, and opaque solar cells. Design by: Ann Preston and Roger White -
“Windstalk,” which won a second place mention from the jury, is a field of jumbo-sized, reed-like poles that collects kinetic energy from the blowing wind. Whether imagining huge hair follicles or towering blades of grass, the atmosphere will likely make visitors feel like they’re in a scene from “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” Design by: Dario Núñez Ameni and Thomas Siegl, with Atelier dna -
Designed for a site next to the existing Ras al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai, “Hybrid Ecology” blends natural and artificial ecological environments. A boardwalk would lead visitors through sea water greenhouses and large plant-like formations that eventually integrate with the real flora nearby. Rather than generate new energy, however, this design is intended to deter exessive energy consumption, proving that small-scale techniques can be used by individuals to create their own energy needs. Design by: Andrew Snow, Ryan Nelson, Houtan Pour-Tavakoli -
Inspired by the concept of a desert mirage, “Light Sanctuary” is a fluid maze-like structure that appears to be hovering above the dry landscape. The 33-foot high, thin-film photovoltaic ribbons that would be used in the design can capture the sun’s rays at an especially wide 140° angle, offering a more efficient use of space than older silicone-based solar panels. Design by: Martina Decker and Peter Yeadon (Decker Yeadon LLC) -
Based on the fractal form known as the Koch Snowflake, these looming structures, or “Solar Fractals,” represent the harmony that exists between art and mathematics. Photovaltic panels collect solar energy during the day, while the pylons illuminate the nearby coastline by night. Design by: Tanzim Hasan Salim -
Winning a third place mention from the jury, “Solaris” represents one of the more pragmatic design entries. Acting as a sort of solar canopy, this renewable energy structure was developed in collaboration with Livermore, California-based solar technology compnay Cool Earth. Unlike the more conceptual submissions, “Solaris” is based on existing technologies, so in theory, it’s ready to be built and generate enough energy to power the country of Chad per year. Design by: Hadrian Predock, John Frane, Chris Schoeneck, Johanna Beuscher, and Heinrich Huber (Predock Frane Architects)
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Events this Weekend: 4.29-5.2
From the 2010 Expo Shanghai to the 2011 Solar Decathalon, this weekend is packed with openings featuring spirited pavilions and sun-powered plans.
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