Description:

in TIME?

Climate change is a gradual and unseen process for most. However, the stories of/from those at the receiving end are daunting and alarming. It could be late harsh winter or a long harsh summer (this observation changes for each bio-zone.) to learning about the forest fires in Australia and the Amazons, to the floods in Pakistan, that one learns about through media, leading to a conversation about it for a few hours after. However, the urgency and the need to act diminishes, as an individual who rarely relates to the urgency of the matter. In our collective journey of the current climate crisis, the proposal needs to address the “idea of urgency” whilst also hinting at a metabolic and circular future.

“in TIME?”, is a giant clock for the city of Mannheim, ticking away towards a sustainable future, generating about 1077.6 MWh of energy, annually. It is positioned at a cross junction of streets and the existing railway route. The circular shape becomes a contrast to the current and proposed landscape.

The public art proposal, made up of Seven Pie-shaped public spaces, represents seven days of the week. Each of the pies hosts twenty-four columns representing the number of hours in the day. As time passes by the column glows, marking time, addressing urgency.

The design of each PIE is primarily a composition of the “ground” and the “column cluster”. The design of the “ground” and the “column cluster” is addressed by local parameters and precedents like that of the existing street composition and incident radiation. The ground is designed using both, abstract and non- abstract compositions to encourage play and enhance creativity. In some cases, the morphology of the ground addresses a specific functional use case while others do not, allowing the conduct of public interventions.

While each “Hour-column” within the column cluster is a global element responding to local conditions, due to its parametric design approach. It is also the metabolic element within the proposal. It is composed of light cones, solar fins, horticulture pods, vertical gardens, and energy reservoirs in a top to bottom orientation respectively. There are hundred and sixty-eight, “hour columns” addressing one week.

Primarily incident radiation on the geometry of each pie is calculated for the summer, starting from the month of April to the month of October. The geometry is further optimised algorithmically to maximise its radiation exposure. Twenty-four of the “hour-columns” are organised in the same geometric pattern for each of the pies. However, the modulations and the resulting variations of the optimised geometry reflect in the differential heights of these columns. The column design remains fixed proportionally.

The Solar Fins on these columns are made up of Multi-Junction Solar Cells which have a higher conversion efficiency (theoretically C.E. = 86.8%) than that of traditional photovoltaics (theoretically C.E. = 33.3%). (1) However for the energy production calculation for this proposal, the conversion efficiency is assumed to be 42.5% to reflect a real-life scenario. “The ground” houses energy reservoirs and their connections with the city grid.

OnCalculating 42.5%ofannualincidentradiation,theproposalissettogenerate1077.6MWh.EachPie has a significant contribution with, Pie 1 at about 14.67%, Pie 2 at about 16.38%, Pie 3 at about 15.08%, Pie 4 at about 11.64%, Pie 5 at about 14.72%, Pie 6 at about 11.50%, and Pie 7 about 15.97% respectively. About 67% of the total energy produced is directed to the city grid, supporting approximate 200 households based on the average household consumption of 3500kWH (2), and the remaining 43% is utilised by the proposal itself.

However, partially filtered wastewater is drawn from the city grid for the maintenance of vertical gardens and also aids in the process of plantation growth from seed to the sapling stage, housed within the horticulturepods.Outofthe43% ofself-utilisedenergy,28%isutilisedforverticalfarmingprocesses, 11% for the rotatory motion of (Solar)Sub-Fins on activation, and a mere 4% for lamps.

“in TIME?”, promotes and emphasises Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 13. “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”.

Whilst addressing and reflecting upon
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages,
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, and Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Client:

BUGA 23 / Landartgenerator Mannheim, Germany

Type:

Energy Production and harvesting landscape.