michael jantzen’s solar and gravity powered art and science pavilion is a kinetic installation
solar and kinetic energy raise sixteen steel arms from the core tower, the energy powering the pavilion and contributing to the local grid.
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michael jantzen bridges art and science
Michael Jantzen’s Solar and Gravity Powered Art and Science Pavilion is a conceptual design proposal for a kinetic public art structure dedicated to celebrating the relationship between the two disciplines. Vast, sculptural, and environmentally friendly, its design comprises an expansive floor area sheltered under an umbrella-shaped roof, hosting art and science exhibitions alongside various related events within. Sixteen large steel arms are anchored at the center of a towering structure and counterweighted at their orange-colored ends, controlled by a network of winches that periodically pull the arms up to the top in several configurations, powered by a solar cell array atop the tower.
the pavilion fans out, interacting with sunlight and gravity
When additional energy is required, or there is a desire to send the energy into the local power grid or just to change the shape of the pavilion, the weighted arms are lowered by gravity back down into their original positions around the perimeter of the tower. The kinetic energy generated by this process runs sixteen electric generators to power the pavilion and potentially contribute to the local grid.
Inside the pavilion, visitors can observe the cables that extend from the top of the tower down through the floor, each connected a winch and electric generator. Designer Michael Jantzen envisions each cable marked by an orange colored spot corresponding the weighted ends of the steel arms, creating visual coherency. The Solar and Gravity Powered Art and Science Pavilion thus serves dual purposes: as a monumental kinetic public art sculpture which will draw in tourists, and a celebration of new and exciting ways in which alternative energy systems can be integrated into urban environments.
project info:
name: The Solar and Gravity Powered Art and Science Pavilion
designer: Michael Jantzen
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