winners revealed for copenhagen-sited land art generator initiative

winners revealed for copenhagen-sited land art generator initiative 2014
(above) 1st place winner of the 2014 land art generator initiative design competition for copenhagen

‘the solar hourglass’

artist: santiago muros cortés

the winners have been revealed for the 2014 edition of the land art generator initiative competition series, which challenges designers to envision environmentally engaging structures for functional and experiential purposes. this year’s project site – refshaleøen – is located on a former shipyard in copenhagen’s harbor, with results which further foster energy-producing strategies for the already green-minded city’s built environment.

the first prize entry has been awarded to argentinia-based santiago muros cortés for his proposal ‘the solar hourglass’. the proposal includes two curving dishes, in which the upper form contains a sunlight redirection system and the acts as a constructed hill for public occupation. with an intended annual capacity of 7,500 MWh, the electricity-generating process would be able to power hundreds of local homes, while serving as a spectacle for viewing and human gathering.

a mirror array in the upper dish form redirects collected sunlight downward for energy generation

the upper dish holds an array of sun-tracking mirrors (heliostats), which direct light toward a central reflector. this collection produces a concentrated beam of solar heat which is passed downward to the beneath the lower dish form via at the structure’s center point. the system’s various reception, generation, and storage machinery is housed beneath the curving landscape form.

the beam of concentrated light/heat acts as a spectacle for public viewing

santiago muros cortés describes the technical aspects of the process as follows:

‘the concentrated beam of solar heat reaches a receiver containing heat transfer fluid (HTF) of molten nitrate salt, which is heated to temperatures over 600°C. the HTF is conveyed through a heat exchanger where water is turned into steam to run a 6.2 MW turbine generator. a small percentage of the steam produced is released back into the neck of the hourglass, thus making the solar beam visible to the public. the higher heat capacity of the molten salt allows for the system to store heat and produce energy during cloudy weather or even at night. ‘

the upper dish contains sun-tracking mirrors while the lower contains energy generation and storage equipment

2nd place winner of the 2014 land art generator initiative design competition for copenhagen

‘quiver’

artists: mateusz góra, agata gryszkiewicz

polish designer duo mateusz góra and agata gryszkiewicz have received second place for their biofuel and wind-flutter based project ‘quiver’. the scheme is composed of a vast garden and waterfront tower. the former is, ‘a field of miscanthus grass-energy crops that grows to a maximum of four meters tall and can be harvested twice a year.’ its arrangement is non-linear, and contains niches and clearings to promote meandering and relaxation in a more-wild setting. the tower elevates vertical windbelts, an aeroelastic flutter technology that harvests power from their subtle yet continuous movement.

the tower is organized as concentric rings of windbelt screens that flutter to generate energy

the tower includes a ramping bridge which allows visitors to circulate between the concentrically arranged screens. beyond its functional and experiential qualities, the tall white form also serves as a landmark for the copenhagen harbor, and illuminates at night to maintain visual presence.

the permeable tower frames a view to the sky

3rd place winner of the 2014 land art generator initiative design competition for copenhagen
‘eMotions: energy motions and art emotions
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artists: antonio maccà, flavio masi

italian designers antonio maccà and flavio masi have collaborated to conceive the third place scheme titled ‘eMotions’. the project arranges a series of detached and circular screens, which are interconnected by a continuous winding path. each ring utilizes different energy generating technologies, including photovoltaic panels, micro-scale vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT), horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT), stacked ceramic multilayer actuators, and piezoelectric systems.

a sinuous path wraps each of the circular ‘generator’ structures

the disparate cylinder forms feature different functioning and visual patterning