100*100*100 WIND TOWER
Submission to the 2014 Land Art Generator Initiative Copenhagen design competition
Artist Team: Mitsuhiro Wada, Takanori Ishii
Artist Location: Brussels, Belgium
Energy Technologies: vertical axis wind turbines
100*100*100 WIND TOWER is a 100-meter cube consisting of a myriad of small windmills that can be seen across the Copenhagen Harbor.
Overlapping frames rise up, giving the appearance of an ordered morning mist. This huge volume is empty at first. It is for the citizens of Denmark to populate the tower with individual contributions of spherical, vertical-axis wind turbines that are available in three sizes: 600 mm, 1200 mm, and 2400 mm. Similar to a crowdsourcing model, a family can contribute a small-size windmill, and a company can purchase a large-size windmill.
This community of turbines will offset the energy use of the individual investors and help Copenhagen achieve its Carbon Neutral 2025 plan. Once the tower is completely filled with turbines, its output will rival that of a conventional wind turbine. By 2025, the tower will contain the maximum number of turbines from the citizens of Copenhagen. The result will symbolize Copenhagen’s commitment to a sustainable future.
Between the double walls of the artwork, a gentle ramp extends from the ground to the summit. An observatory at the top offers a view around the city of Copenhagen. A nighttime glow at the top of the tower represents the amount of electricity produced by the artwork. Days with strong winds will produce a brighter glow than days with faint wind.
The turbines are similar to units developed by Japan Environmental Promotion Association. Because of its small size, Wind Tower can operate with wind speeds as low as 2–6m/s. Its spherical shape enables it to react to the wind from all sides.
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