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
| May 18, 2011
Carnegie Hall vaults into the 21st century with a $200 million renovation
Historic Carnegie Hall in New York City is in the midst of a major $200 million renovation that will bring the building up to contemporary standards, increase educational and backstage space, and target LEED Silver.
| May 16, 2011
Seattle unveils program to boost building efficiency
Seattle launched a new program that will help commercial property owners and managers assess and improve building energy efficiency. Under the program, all commercial and multifamily buildings larger than 10,000 sq. ft. will be measured for their energy performance using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
| May 10, 2011
Are green goals out of reach for federal buildings?
Many federal agencies are struggling to convert their existing buildings to meet green standards, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Of 20 agencies graded by the OMB on their compliance with green mandates, only seven met the 2010 mandate that requires at least 5% of their buildings meet energy-efficient and sustainable standards.
| Apr 14, 2011
U.S. embassies on a mission to green the world's buildings
The U.S. is putting greater emphasis on greening its worldwide portfolio of embassies. The U.S. State Department-affiliated League of Green Embassies already has 70 U.S. embassies undergoing efforts to reduce their environmental impact, and the organization plans to increase that number to more than 100 by the end of the year.
| Feb 7, 2011
GSA Unveils New Sustainable Workplace Design Tool
The U.S. General Services Administration launched its Sustainable Facilities Tool on Monday, Feb. 7. The innovative online tool will make it easier for both government and private-sector property managers and developers to learn about and evaluate strategies to make workplaces more sustainable, helping to build and create jobs in America’s clean energy economy of the future.
| Feb 4, 2011
U.S. Green Building Council applauds President Obama’s Green Building Initiative
The U.S. Green Building Council applauded a key element of President Obama’s plan to “win the future” by making America’s commercial buildings more energy- and resource-efficient over the next decade. The President’s plan, entitled Better Buildings Initiative, catalyzes private-sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and universities, hospitals and other commercial and municipal buildings.
| Feb 4, 2011
President Obama: 20% improvement in energy efficiency will save $40 billion
President Obama’s Better Buildings Initiative, announced February 3, 2011, aims to achieve a 20% improvement in energy efficiency in commercial buildings by 2020, improvements that will save American businesses $40 billion a year.
| Jan 19, 2011
U.S. Green Building Council Welcomes New Board Directors
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced newly elected officers and new directors to its 2011 Board of Directors, including Elizabeth J. Heider from Skanska; Kirsten Ritchi from Gensler; and Dennis Maloskey, from the Pennsylvania Governor's Green Government Council.
