After the Solar Eco System, Energy-generating kite park, Light Sanctuary desert sculpture and Memnonia, we bring to you yet another ground breaking entry from Dubai’s Land Art Generator Initiative competition. Designed by the Rebar Group, “Artocos” are folded shell structures that capture and merge both solar energy and wind to generate power, create space to inhabit and contemplate the surrounding ecosystem, and make visible and audible environmental processes that shape our lives.
Each piece consist of a curved, double layer wall that are clad with dark, thin-filmed photovoltaic modules from inside. Air is sucked in through grated vents, which is heated, creating a convection that activates the PV cells. This air rises and accelerates to power the wind turbine and activate flue organ pipes that generate musical tones. Operating at 20% efficiency, the 400 Watt, 46” diameter Airbreeze generates 700kWh per year, while the solar modules produce a steady 3 kW for 7 to 8 hours in the summer and an average of 1.5 kW for 4 to 5 hours in the winter.
Located just between the Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary and the proposed Lagoons development, the site features excellent solar access and substantial wind from the northeast, making it perfect for a project that introduces a new aesthetic of ecological function combined with energy generation, engages current and future urban residents in the complex dynamics of urban ecosystems, and explores the critical role of decentralized power production through the medium of public art.
