In an attempt to reunite the nation of Singapore with its harbor, SPARK Architects has designed the "solar orchid"—self-contained, solar-powered pods that mimic traditional hawkers.
Hawkers, or floating stalls where vendors sell various products, were once commonplace in Singapore, but have faded away after decades of urban development, designboom reports.
"The concept proposes a way to reinvigorate the Singaporean hawker centre experience, and to reinstate the everyday relationship with the waterscape that once characterised Singaporean life," SPARK said in a press release. "The proposal recalls the mobility of Singapore’s original hawkers."
The pods will include cooking stalls, complete with table settings, built-in exhaust, and water, gas, electrical, waste collection, and water recycling services. Protective canopies made of inflated ETFE pillows are intended to incorporate photovoltaic cells. In addition, the pods will have a reconfigurable structure that is viable in multiple different locations.
"We have a duty as designers to develop and propose ideas and visions that can enhance our cities, as well as contribute to making them more liveable places," said Stephen Pimbley, a founding director of SPARK. "History offers many extraordinary examples of visionary projects that remain on paper, serving as vehicles for debate about the future of our cities."
All renderings courtesy SPARK.
Related Stories
| Aug 4, 2014
Jean Nouvel commissioned to design Islam Museum next to WTC
El-Gamal's plans has been dubbed controversial by many industry professionals.
| Jul 29, 2014
Studio Gang Architects, MAD to design George Lucas' museum in Chicago
Star Wars director George Lucas selected Chicago-based Studio Gang Architects and Beijing firm MAD to design his proposed art museum on Chicago’s lakefront.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction market benefits from improving economy, new technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following years of fairly lackluster demand for commercial property remodeling, reconstruction revenue is improving, according to the 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 25, 2014
Philip Johnson’s 'Tent of Tomorrow' vandalized, damaged with fire
Vandals set fire to a stolen van in the park, which in turn caught the tarp covering the pavilion's 50-year old Terrazzo Map on fire.
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 18, 2014
Contractors warm up to new technologies, invent new management schemes [2014 Giants 300 Report]
“UAV.” “LATISTA.” “CMST.” If BD+C Giants 300 contractors have anything to say about it, these new terms may someday be as well known as “BIM” or “LEED.” Here’s a sampling of what Giant GCs and CMs are doing by way of technological and managerial innovation.
