Echo of Wind: Visualizing the Beauty of Wind Patterns
Submission to the 2014 Land Art Generator Initiative Copenhagen design competition
Artist Team: Mathias Bank Stigsen, Olga Krukovskaya
Artist Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Energy Technologies: elastomeric piezoelectric toroids
Few things are more present in Denmark than wind. It is both the driving force behind the country’s many wind turbines as well as a force that has shaped its landscape. Wind by itself is invisible but, through interaction with its surroundings, its patterns and behavior can be captured, and its natural force can be harvested for electrical gain. The movement of leaves, branches, waves, and fabric are all ways in which we visually witness the wind. One of the most practical visualizations of wind movement is in sails, which have helped shape Denmark as a great sea-nation throughout the course of its history.
Echo of Wind consists of a variety of static and dynamic springs distributed over the entire site. Whereas the static springs can host various forms of platforms, providing viewing spaces, the dynamic springs are moved by the wind. The bending of the lightweight carbon fiber springs transforms the mechanical forces of bending and motion into electrical current through piezoelectric generators.
Textiles connect the dynamic springs, helping to both catch and bend the springs while creating an echo of the wind pattern. Visitors are invited to interact with this dance between wind, fabric, and electricity.
Echo of Wind is highly scalable and flexible, and can be adapted to various sizes and formats. It is laid out in a grid, but within the grid is the possibility of varied arrangements for diverse purposes. This flexibility is achieved through a shared plateau in concrete, which shelters the electrical and mechanical devices. More than a purely energy-producing intervention, Echo of Wind is a public space that enables a dialogue between wind and visitors, nature and humans.
