The Solar Electric Visitors Pavilion
The Solar Electric Visitors Pavilion was designed as a public visitors center for a large solar electric power plant that would be located in a Southern California desert. It would generate electricity for the local community by reflecting and focusing the suns energy with hundreds of mirrors onto a receiving tower, where the heat from the reflected sun is used to produce steam from water, which in turn generates electricity. All of the energy needs of the visitors pavilion would be supplied by the solar electric power plant. The visual design of the Solar Electric Visitors Pavilion was symbolically inspired by a three dimensional visualization of the way in which the suns rays would be reflected off of the mirrors and focused onto the receiving tower. The yellow portion of the structure represents the focused rays of the sun. This part of the structure supports a large power plant viewing platform, and at the same time shades the enclosed portion of the visitor’s pavilion, as well as the open space surrounding it. The enclosed space would be used for power plant displays. It would be fitted with a large center shaded skylight as well as large shaded windows facing the power plant. The skylight and windows would also be used for natural ventilation. The shaded open space surrounding the enclosed space would be used for special events. A large exterior staircase would provide access to the power plant viewing platform. The majority of the structure would be constructed from steel and concrete composite materials
Status: Unbuilt
