SXSW ECO

We will be speaking at SXSW ECO, which is taking place October 5-7 in Austin, TX.

Join us and LA's Green Public Art Consultancy as we talk about Regenerative Public Art for Living Cities in the context of LAGI 2016 Santa Monica.

#LAGI2016

Public art is a critical component of successful urban placemaking. Can it also be a force for sustainable city planning? We'll examine how public art is getting greener, becoming regenerative, and informing the public about climate change, energy and water issues, and biodiversity loss.

The Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) and Green Public Art are working to increase popular support for sustainable development by integrating art and interdisciplinary creative processes into the conception of site-specific, solution-based public art interventions. By presenting works of art that generate clean electricity and drinking water, we can show that sustainable development models that require localized "living" and net-zero infrastructures can result in beautiful and engaging urban spaces.

The panel will provide an overview of past LAGI and Green Public Art projects, and give a preview of the LAGI 2016 design competition for Southern California.

Event Type: Sessions
Category: Fireside Chat (no, 10AM is not too early for a fireside chat!)
Theme: Design

Living Product Expo

LAGI will be at the Living Product Expo September 17 & 18 (2015) at the Pittsburgh Convention Center.

The LAGI founding co-directors will be speaking at the event from 5:45–6:00 pm on Thursday the 18th.

The WindNest 1/4 scale prototype will be displayed along with several past LAGI submissions, showing the world that renewable energy can be beautiful.

About the WindNest Prototype
WindNest is designed by Trevor Lee of Suprafutures to passively rotate to face the wind just like a weather vane. To test the functionality and to experiment with the ball bearing mechanism design, a prototyping team under the direction of GTK Flow Analysis fabricated this 1/4 scale model and subjected it to a series of tests under different wind conditions and speed sequences.

The full-scale installation will incorporate a slip ring to allow for continuous rotation while conducting the electricity produced by the turbines and solar fabric.

The prototype also provides the opportunity to experiment with the structure of the cloud pods and will assist with the design of the fabric skin.

WindNest prototype being installed at the Living Product Expo from Land Art Generator Initiative on Vimeo.

About the Living Product Expo
In early April, 2015, the Living Future Institute launched the Living Product Challenge. This new program re-imagines the design and construction of products to function as elegantly and efficiently as anything found in the natural world. The Living Product Expo is a groundbreaking new event that will bring together leading minds in the product industry and ignite a revolution in the way materials are designed, manufactured and delivered. Sustainability directors from the world’s leading design firms, prominent manufacturers and sustainability consultants will gather to learn about game-changing innovations in product design.

The Expo will assemble a diverse group of people, industries and disciplines. Together, we will engage in a transparent, transdisciplinary and transformative dialogue to inspire the creation of the world’s first Living Products. Participants will gain new tools, knowledge and connections to effect positive change in their organizations and supply chains.

The Living Product Expo is the world’s leading place for design and manufacturing professionals to learn about game-changing products that will transform the marketplace. It will be a unique opportunity for manufacturers and designers (of all sizes) to network, learn from one another and aggregate market power to create transformative impact. Attendees will experience a stimulating agenda of education tracks, inspiring keynote presentations, tours, networking and Show + Tell product demonstrations showcasing the latest trends in sustainable products.

LAGI at the Mattress Factory

What does the future of renewable energy look like? LAGI will be holding a workshop at Pittsburgh's Mattress Factory for all ages to engage with LAGI 2015–16 Youth Design Prize.

Visitors will interact with cutting edge clean energy technologies and explore how they can be sculpted into power plants that are also works of art for a design site in Southern California.

The Mattress Factory's ARTlab is a hands-on, drop-in, interactive activity designed for visitors of all ages. During ARTLab visitors are invited to explore, play and experiment with projects designed inspired by current exhibitions, artists and ideas.

When:
Saturday, September 5 from 1-4pm

Where:
Mattress Factory
500 Sampsonia Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4444

More here >

20 kids transform a rough Pittsburgh neighborhood with solar art & charging station

Inhabitat
20 kids transform a rough Pittsburgh neighborhood with solar art & charging station
August 14, 2015
By Laura Mordas-Schenkein

Where a rusted old marquee hovered over a community center's run down lot in the neighborhood of Homewood, Pittsburgh, a glistening installation of solar panels now rises as a symbol of hope. As part of a six-week Art+Energy summer camp, a remarkable team of 20 local youths -- aged 8-17 -- successfully designed and installed a grouping of solar panels, entitled "Renaissance Gate." This is the first completed project led by the Land Art Generator Initiative, a nonprofit that aids in the development of large-scale public artworks that generate renewable energy.

Read more here >

Homewood youth tap solar energy as ‘gateway’ to betterment

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Homewood youth tap solar energy as ‘gateway’ to betterment
August 14, 2015
By Daniel Moore

When Jordan Blackwell and DaVontae Garner hit the studio to polish their latest rap composition, the Homewood teenagers were faced with the challenge of trying to rhyme “kilowatt-hour.”

The duo emerged from the session with a 3-minute song — loosely inspired by Drake’s “Energy” — that helps explain why Homewood residents were turning their heads on Frankstown Avenue on Thursday.

Community leaders unveiled “Renaissance Gate,” an installation of solar panels mounted in a run-down lot where a rusted sign marquee used to stand. The panels were aesthetically angled to both take in sunlight and surround the steel frame of an arched gate, which 14-year-old DaVontae said symbolized a gateway to a new Homewood.
read more >

Pecha Kucha Night Pittsburgh

LAGI Co-Directors Robert Ferry and Elizabeth Monoian will be presenting at:
Pecha Kucha Night Pittsburgh
Organized by AIA Pittsburgh and AIGA Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
July 16, 2015
Bricolage, 937 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
More information here >

Solar 2015: The 44th National Solar Conference (American Solar Energy Society)

LAGI Co-Directors Robert Ferry and Elizabeth Monoian will be speaking at:
Solar 2015: The 44th National Solar Conference (American Solar Energy Society)
July 28–30, 2015
The Pennsylvania State University

More Information >

City Paper Pittsburgh


Photo by Heather Mull for the City Paper

Two articles, written by Charles Rosenblum, appear in the City Paper for the week of March 18, 2015.

Local firm goes global promoting art and sustainability: The Land Art Generator Initiative promotes public artworks that generate clean energy

A lauded green-art initiative hits a roadblock in Schenley Plaza: Land Art Generator project stalls in art commission

Biophilia Network: Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory

LAGI Directors Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry will be presenting the LAGI project at the Biophilia Network at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory on March 5, 2015. (Pittsburgh, PA)

More about Phipps Conservatory and the Center for Sustainable Landscapes here >.

Green Mountain Energy Sustainability Stories: Land Art Generator Initiative

Green Mountain Energy
Sustainability Stories: Land Art Generator Initiative
February 2015
By Nick Schenck

We were thrilled when Green Mountain Energy recently reached out to us with a set of questions for their blog. The editor writes "We want to learn how other companies approach sustainability, so we’ve decided to publish a series of posts featuring innovative companies and people who are doing their part to support our planet. See below to read a guest blog from Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry, founding directors at Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI)."

more here >

University of British Columbia: Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability

The LAGI Founding Directors will be lecturing at the University of British Columbia on May 12, 2015.
The lecture is being hosted by UBC's Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)
More about IRES here: www.ires.ubc.ca

Renewable Cities: Global Learning Forum

Please join the LAGI Founding Directors, Robert Ferry & Elizabeth Monoian, for a presentation and exhibition about the LAGI project at Renewable Cities: Global Learning Forum.

Event Dates: May 13–15, 2015
Event Location: Vancouver, BC
Event Website: http://forum.renewablecities.ca/

Impress Magazine

Thanks to Impress Magazine for a series of articles they have run about the Land Art Generator Initiative.

http://impressmagazin.hu/zenelo-szelturbinak-termelik-az-aramot/
http://impressmagazin.hu/energiatermelo-hurkok-nap-szel-es-mozgas-altal/
http://impressmagazin.hu/az-elso-szen-dioxid-semleges-fovaros/
http://impressmagazin.hu/a-foldgyogyito-diodakkal-ellatott-rudak-mozgas-hatasara-aramot-termelnek/
http://impressmagazin.hu/energiatermelo-zaszlopark/
http://impressmagazin.hu/megujulo-energiat-termel-a-nagy-alma/

IIDEXCanada

LAGI founding directors, Elizabeth and Robert, will be presenting as a part of a seminar program at IIDEXCanada, 9:30am-11am on Thursday December 4 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre North. The seminar is titled "Climate as Concept: Envisioning Advances in Climate Change through Architectural Remedies." Also presenting will be Matthew Rosenberg (Founder/Principal, M-Rad Architecture) and Jessica Wolff (Landscape Designer, Reed Hilderbrand ASLA, LEED AP). Chris Dannen, Founding Editor, FastCoLabs, Fast Company, will be moderating. Big thanks to Matthew Rosenberg for organizing the session!

New Energies: Land Art Generator Initiative, Copenhagen

New Energies is the beautiful hardcover book that catalogs the LAGI 2014 design competition for Copenhagen. It is available at many bookstores, and online at such outlets as RIBA and Amazon.

The book contains engaging essays by Annette Skov ("The Glowing Island" A History of Refshaleøen); Laura Watts and Brit Ross Winthereik ("Energy as Alien"); Trine Plambech, Johanne Mose Entwistle, and Liselott Stenfeldt ("The Human Approach to Sustainability"); Peter Karnøe ("Danish Wind Power: A Journey Beyond Imagination" A History from 1893 to the Present); Chris Fremantle ("Working Together"); Else Marie Bukdahl ("Visual Art and the Ecological Challenge: About Some of the First Creators and Their Influence"); Lea Schick and Anne Sophie Witzke ("Generating Futures: LAGI as an Imaginatorium"); and an introduction by Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry, the founding directors of LAGI.

It also illustrates 64 of the incredible proposals for energy-generating public artworks that came in from around the world in response to the LAGI 2014 open call.

The beautiful design is by Paul Schifino (Schifino Design), who also provided the graphic vision for the LAGI 2012 book, Regenerative Infrastructures.

On the Copenhagen harbor, across from the iconic Little Mermaid statue, lies an expanse of open land—a brownfield that is the oldest part of the former Burmeister & Wain shipbuilding yards. It’s the site of the third Land Art Generator Initiative design competition, which brings together creative minds from around the world in a collective effort to challenge our preconceptions of what renewable energy generation looks like. The Land Art Generator Initiative, or LAGI, was created to encourage the design and construction of public art installations that have the added benefit of utility-scale clean energy generation.

Sixty-four of the LAGI Copenhagen competition entries are profiled in this book through detailed spreads that include renderings, illustrations, and diagrams. Seven essays explore the role of creativity in the conception of new energy landscapes and provide insights into sustainable infrastructure innovations in Denmark. New Energies provides a much-needed case study on how we can transform our urban brownfields into aesthetic and functional destinations that power hundreds of homes while providing places for recreation and contemplation within our urban environments.

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Prestel (November 12, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3791353691
ISBN-13: 978-3791353692

Fast Company

3 Inspiring Designs For Renewable Power Plants That Double As Art
By Adele Peters, November 25, 2014

CSP Today

Can the Solar Hourglass serve as a CSP landmark?
By Heba Hashem, November 10, 2014

From the article:

According to Steven Meyers, researcher at the University of Kassel in the Institute of Thermal Energy Engineering, with a special focus on the solar heat integration into industrial processes, the Solar Hourglass is an interesting new development for the Beam Down technology, and CSP in general.
"On aesthetics alone, it looks quite smooth and sleek, certainly not what is normally associated with power plants, and would serve as an interesting landmark for solar thermal energy."

As with all LAGI concept design proposals, The Solar Hourglass will need to tackle many engineering problems in schematic and detailed design. The CSP Today article points the way to solutions and we hope to have the opportunity to work with researchers like Dr. Meyers on bringing the artwork to life.

Magasinet Kunst

Fra Kraftværk til Kunstværk
October 23, 2014 by Helene Olesen

Treehugger

Treehugger
Massive horn sculptures would generate sound and energy from wind
By Kimberley Mok, October 16, 2014

Bustler: Results of Copenhagen’s Land Art Generator Initiative

Bustler
Results of Copenhagen’s Land Art Generator Initiative
October 17, 2014

Mandag Morgen

Baeredygtige kraftvaerker forklaedt som kunst
October 13, 2014 by Villads Andersen

"Robert Ferry og Elizabeth Monoian vil have Apple, Vestas, København, New York, Dubai og alle andre til at tænke kunst og energi sammen. Duoen samler arkitekter, ingeniører, kunstnere, forskere og finanshajer til at skabe kunstkraftværker, der leverer CO2-fri strøm og installationsværker til eftertanke."

Read more >

designboom

horn structures produce wind-generated sounds in denmark for LAGI 2014
October 10, by Trent Fredrickson

Hyperallergic

Turning Power Plants into Public Art
October 10, 2014 By Laura C. Mallonee

Can Art and Architecture Promote the Green Conversion

If you are going to be in Copenhagen on October 23, please join LAGI, IT University, and Information for a panel discussion on "Can Art and Architecture Promote the Green Conversion." LAGI believes they can—and the over 600 submissions from the past 3 LAGI competitions show that creatives around the world think so too!!

More information available at www.ishop.information.dk


Funded in part by Region Hovedstaden.

Discovery News

Public Art Generates Renewable Energy, Beautifully
October 6, 2014 by Glenn McDonald

connaissance des energies

Des artistes dessinent le futur énergétique de Copenhague
October 3rd, 2014

Architecture & Design

Oversized solar hourglass wins 2014 Land Art Generator Initiative competition
October 2nd, 2014

Rinnovabili.it

Una clessidra solare ad energia pulita per vivere meglio
September 30, 2014

Gizmodo

Your City's Next Power Plant Could Be an Incredible Art Installation
October 6th, by Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan

Kill Screen

DO NOT FEAR THE SOLAR-POWERED HOURGLASS; WALK INTO ITS GLOWING EYE
October 1st, by CLAYTON PURDOM

This wins the award for the most creative writing about LAGI 2014.

Arch Daily

Winning Proposals Transform Power Plants into Public Art
October 6th, by Karissa Rosenfield

ZME Science

Solar Hourglass might power 1,000 Danish Homes while inspiring Climate Change Action
October 1st, by Tibi Puiu

Inhabitat

This Gigantic Solar Hourglass Could Power 1,000 Danish Homes
October 5th, by Taz Loomans

designboom

winners revealed for copenhagen-sited land art generator initiative
September 30, by Trent Fredrickson

DR.DK

Gigantisk solfangende timeglas vinder designkonkurrence i København
October 3rd, by Martin Kunzendorf

2014 Photovoltaics, Forms, Landscapes

LAGI will be speaking on a panel at the Photovoltaics Forms Landscapes in Amsterdam on September 24. Chaired by Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink (European Commission, JRC Joint Research Center) and Alessandra Scognamiglio (Architect, PhD in Technologies for Architecture and Environment).

Photovoltaics | Forms | Landscapes is a series of annual events (1st edition Hamburg, 26th EUPVSEC; 2nd edition: Frankfurt, 27th EUPVSEC; 3rd edition Paris, 28th EUPVSEC) serving as a discussion framework to investigate the new phenomena associated with the rapid spread of large photovoltaic systems. It promotes reflection on the implications for our way of living and on what new issues of design could arise. This is done on all scales: from modules, to buildings, to cities, to landscapes.

http://www.pv-landscapes.com/cms2/?page_id=430

September 24, 2014
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

LAGI 2014 Award Ceremony + Exhibition Opening

This event is free and open to the public!

Please join us for the Land Art Generator Initiative 2014 Copenhagen Competition Award Ceremony and Book Launch on October 3, 2014

3:00 pm
Arrival

3:30 pm
Opening Remarks
Natalie Mossin, Chair of the Danish Architects’ Association & Christian Herskind, CEO of Refshaleøen Holding

4:15 pm
Award Presentation
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action

On display will be dozens of beautiful examples of renewable energy generation infrastructure designed for a site in Refshaleøen (across the harbor from the Little Mermaid statue). 300 teams from 55 countries answered the 2014 call for artworks that explore new ways of thinking about clean energy and its built manifestation in urban environments.

This event is free and open to the public!

At the Design Society in partnership with the Danish Design Centre
H. C. Andersens Boulevard 27
1553 København, Denmark
(across H. C. Andersens Blvd. from Tivoli Gardens)

Green Prophet

Blowing Horn harvests wind energy with a multi-rotor turbine
August 25, 2014 by Tafline Laylin

"Are you tired of seeing the same old giant wind turbines in a field or offshore? And do you worry about their impact on migrating birds? Hooman Tahvildar Akbary from Iran has a solution that is both super efficient and beautiful."

- See more at: Green Prophet

Discover News

Floating Sails Generate Clean Energy Beautifully
August 22, 2014 By Glenn McDonald

"Renewable energy can be beautiful. That’s the hopeful slogan of the Land Art Generator Initiative, or LAGI, which works to bring together the worlds of installation art and renewable energy infrastructure.

The general idea is, if we’re going to harvest renewable energy with machines and structures, they may as well be beautiful machines and structures. LAGI works with artists and municipalities worldwide to create permanent works of art that also distribute clean energy into the local electrical grid.

Since 2010, LAGI has hosted an bi-annual design competition, inviting artists and engineers to submit proposals for a particular city or area. Previous competitions have been held in New York City and the United Arab Emirates."

More Here >

Le Monde

Le Monde
WindWaker: le mariage de l'art et de l'énergie renouvelable
August 20, 2014

"La Land Art Generator Initiative Competition est une compétition internationale qui associe design et énergies propres. Elle invite les participants à imaginer des installations publiques à la fois artistiques, innovantes et génératrices d'énergies renouvelables. Après Dubaï et New-York, la troisième édition de ce concours se tient cette année dans un ancien chantier naval de Copenhague. Le magazine FastCompany présente le projet WindWaker. Celui-ci prend la forme de grandes voiles de navire. Imaginée par les espagnols Miguel Ángel López et Julio Alejandro Romero Alonso, l'installation est dotée de nanogénérateurs qui transforment le vent en électricité. Le dispositif permettrait de répondre aux besoins énergétiques annuels de 90 foyers."

More Here >