The Land Art Generator Initiative is a site-specific design competition held every two years with the purpose of accelerating “the transition to post-carbon economies by providing models of renewable energy infrastructure that add value to public space,” according to the Initiative’s website.
This year’s site is Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif. and proposals will be addressing the energy-water nexus. This means, for the 2016 competition, the definition of sustainable infrastructure artwork was expanded to include proposals that produce drinking water. The drinking water can be produced in place of clean energy, or in addition to it.
One of the more striking proposals this year, and one that has been shortlisted, is The Clear Orb designed by South Korea-based Heerim Architects & Planners. As inhabitat.com reports, the 130-ft diameter glass orb uses transparent luminescent solar concentrators to supply the energy needed to circulate the surrounding seawater in and out of the structure. Once the seawater has been brought inside the Orb, a solar still converts it into fresh water. The produced fresh water then cascades down a step fountain that supports the overall structure of the Orb. The solar still would be capable of producing nearly 600,000 gallons of water and 3,820 MWh annually.
The Orb would sit adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier and would be accessible via a pathway that branches off from the pier and slants down gently below the surface of the water. The outer walls of the path would harvest energy from the waves while the inner walls would feature a list of animals that have gone extinct.
Another shortlisted proposal, dubbed The Pipe, lacks a bit of the aesthetic value of The Clear Orb, but has the ability to produce a whopping 1.5 billion gallons of drinkable water annually via electromagnetic desalination. In addition to producing pure drinking water, water with 12% salinity is also produced. The drinking water gets piped to shore for use and the salt water supplies the on-board thermal baths before making its way back into the ocean.
The winner of the LAGI 2016 competition will be announced Oct. 6 at Greenbuild 2016 in Los Angeles.
Image courtesy of Heerim Architects & Planners
Image courtesy of Heerim Architects & Planners
The Pipe. Image courtesy of Khalili Engineers
Related Stories
Green | Apr 21, 2023
Top 10 green building projects for 2023
The Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex in Boston and the Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis are among the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards honorees for 2023.
Green | Apr 18, 2023
USGBC and IWBI unveil streamlined certification pathway for LEED and WELL green building programs
The U.S. Green Building Council, Green Business Certification Inc., and the International WELL Building Institute released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The new protocol simplifies documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other.
K-12 Schools | Apr 18, 2023
ASHRAE offers indoor air quality guide for schools
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released a guide for educators, administrators, and school districts on indoor air quality. The guide can be used as a tool to discuss options to improve indoor air quality based on existing HVAC equipment, regional objectives, and available funding.
Mixed-Use | Apr 7, 2023
New Nashville mixed-use high-rise features curved, stepped massing and wellness focus
Construction recently started on 5 City Blvd, a new 15-story office and mixed-use building in Nashville, Tenn. Located on a uniquely shaped site, the 730,000-sf structure features curved, stepped massing and amenities with a focus on wellness.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023
Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands
HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide
Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort
Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Momentum building for green retrofits in New York City co-ops, condos
Many New York City co-op and condo boards had been resistant to the idea of approving green retrofits and energy-efficiency upgrades, but that reluctance might be in retreat.
Geothermal Technology | Mar 22, 2023
Lendlease secures grants for New York’s largest geothermal residential building
Lendlease and joint venture partner Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, have acquired $4 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build a geoexchange system at 1 Java Street in Brooklyn. Once completed, the all-electric property will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system.
Sustainability | Mar 16, 2023
Lack of standards for carbon accounting hamper emissions reduction
A lack of universally accepted standards for collecting, managing, and storing greenhouse gas emissions data (i.e., carbon accounting) is holding back carbon reduction efforts, according to an essay published by the Rocky Mountain Institute.
