Millennium Point, Birmingham, UK

RIBA Competition Finalist

Forgotten when the projects are finished and yet resurrected when a new one is starting on site. This is the bread and butter of Scaffolding. Therefore the proposal to mark the Millennium Point from the distance with height and lightens is a 30m tall scaffold tower with some distinction. Constructed of 300 pieces (80 diagonal and 220 horizontal & vertical). Mixture of 200 recycled scaffold tubes and 100 prefabricated glass tubes form rectangular cuboid of the square base of 7.5m. The current development of new photoluminescence materials allow us to prefabricate glass tubes infilled with a photoluminescent pigment producing exceptionally long luminance decay. Using 160 scaffold connectors the tower can be easily remodeled to endless geometrical arrangements.

As a showcase of Science & Technology the tower is an instrument for observation using the principle of the periscope. Is nesting two concave mirrors set parallel to each other and via reflection are erecting images. Top one is displaying events from the ground level for the pedestrians and drivers as they pass along the Jennens Road. Also can tilt and having the top face covered by photovoltaic material collects the solar power. Square base of the tower is set on the rail hence additionally via daily rotation is able to track the best angles for the Sun rays. The bottom platform is mirrored to both sides and displays free life broadcast of the Birmingham Skyline reflected from the top for the entering visitors to the Millennium Point at the ground level.
By night the tower is rotating and trucking the Moon erecting the lunar landscape.

Below the ground level directly under the tower we are proposing the octagonal meeting place of 100 sq m accessible via two ramps and covered by glazed roof hence being inside we are enhancing the perspective of the tower from underneath. The glazed floor is lit from below creating an ambient environment. It is serviced by male / female and disable lavatories, plant room, kitchenette and store room. It is anticipated to be rented for corporate meetings and used by local schools and universities.

To be able to convey different types of images of different distances each mirror is constructed of 61 regular hexagons which are set on the frame with two balancing rings and mechanically controlled can change converging curve giving us a focus. The formation of the mirrors and possibility of tilting in any direction enables us to perform a vast number of optical phenomenas such as reflections, refractions, interference, diffraction, dispersion, holography and illusions. To do so we have installed additional two balancing rings between the two mirrors which can support changeable components. For instance via magnifying lens we can erect a close up of the moon or star constellations, comets and planets. By Installing the diffraction mesh we can break light up into its constituent spectral colours. Using lasers via interference and diffraction enables us to erect free floating 3D images as a commercial showcase.

Our proposal can become an example to follow of kinetic architecture - a mobile response allowing the freedom of observation overcoming one fixed viewpoint with a distinctive heritage of Science & Technology performing inventions of Roger Bacon, Johannes Kepler, Galileo, Christiaan Huygens, René Descartes, Sir Isaac Newton, Thomas Young, Dennis Gabor and others.

Most importantly the Millennium Point will gain another unique place to experiment, learn and to invent.

Project Team: Wojciech Dziubek & Maciej Wierzbinski