The Solar and Gravity Powered Art and Science Pavilion
The Solar and Gravity Powered Art and Science Pavilion is a design proposal for a public functional art structure dedicated to celebrating the relationship between art and science. The umbrella shaped roof covers a very large open floor area that would be used to exhibit art and science based projects along with many other related events.
Sixteen large steel arms (weighted at the orange-colored ends) are hinged at the center of a high tower that is supported by the umbrella shaped roof. A large solar cell array is mounted on top of the tower. The solar cells are used to power sixteen winches that periodically pull the arms up to the top of the tower in many different configurations. Whenever additional energy is needed to power the pavilion, and/or there is a desire to send the energy into the local power grid or just to change the shape of the pavilion, the 16 weighted arms are lowered by gravity back down into their original positions around the perimeter of the tower. The kinetic energy generated by the lowering arms, run 16 electric generators that create electricity for the pavilion, and/or for the local community.
At the center of the pavilion on the inside, visitors can see the 16 cables that run from the top of the tower down through 16 holes in the floor where they are connected to 16 winches and 16 electric generators. An orange colored spot has been painted onto each of the cables that correspond to the orange colored ends of each of the arms. This allows the visitor to keep track of the location of each of the arms relative to the tower from the inside of the pavilion.
In general, the primary reason for designing the Solar and Gravity Powered Pavilion was to create a gigantic kinetic public art sculpture which will become a tourist attraction, and at the same time, celebrate ways in which alternative energy gathering and storage systems can be integrated into the built environment, in new and exciting ways.
Status: Unbuilt
