One of the largest solar projects ever proposed in the US is inching closer towards the start of construction, with completion and operations set to occur some time in 2023.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/04/26/gemini-solar-and-storage-project-closes-1-9-billion-in-financing/
#installations, #finance, #business, #scale, #utility, #policy, #markets
The milestone occurred just months after Mosaic achieved $6 billion in loans funded and reduced pricing across its entire suite of solar loan products.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/04/25/mosaic-solar-finance-company-reaches-7-billion-in-loans-funded/
#finance, #residential, #business, #markets, #policy, #installations, #pv
The Planet Protectors club at the Winsor School, an all-girls college prep day school, successfully launched a project that will cover one third of the school’s energy needs and is estimated to save the school over $1 million during the project’s life.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/04/25/student-activism-leads-boston-school-to-adopt-solar/
#boston, #commercial, #industrial, #renewable, #installations, #pv, #activism
Also on the rise: EDPR and Meta sign PPA for 156MW of solar from Cattlemen Solar Park in central Texas. Castillo Engineering selected to provide electrical design for New York community solar portfolio. NYSERDA launches energy advisory website for low-to moderate income households. Bluetti launches 350W foldable solar module. Green hydrogen electrolyzer provider closes $45 million Series B. Gallaudet University to install 2.5MW microgrid.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/04/15/sunrise-brief-borgwarner-wins-4-million-prize-to-design-american-made-ev-fast-charger/
#ev, #products, #policy, #installations, #markets, #microgrid
The Pike Solar Project will supply electricity and storage services to Colorado Springs Utilities under a 17-year power purchase agreement.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/21/175mw-solar-and-storage-project-cleared-for-construction-in-colorado/
#markets, #storage, #energy, #installations, #policy, #strategic, #business
The Slate solar and storage project began development in 2015 and is now one of the largest facilities of its kind in the state.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/17/goldman-sachs-activates-390mw-solar-561mwh-storage-in-california/
#industrial, #scale, #pv, #bart, #utility, #installations, #commercial
Flipping the switch on the 88MW array this week is a major milestone toward its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/16/stanford-university-now-running-on-100-renewables/
#markets, #installations, #industrial, #commercial, #pv, #policy
An exhibition highlighting London-based designer Bethany Williams' waste-combating, social-driven vision for the fashion industry has opened at the Design Museum.
Exhibited in the atrium of London's Design Museum, Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is a celebration of Williams' work which explores and responds to social issues through the use of community-led enrichment initiatives.
Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is a free display in the atrium of the Design Museum
A number of key works by the designer were exhibited across the four walls of the atrium's balcony gallery, which is free to entry.
Mannequins are displayed among textiles samples, photography and raw waste materials in efforts to highlight the studio's commitment to sustainable fashion.
The display was chosen to be shown in a free entry space in the museum
"I decided to organise the display thematically rather than by collection," said Design Museum's head of curatorial and interpretation Priya Khanchandani.
"It opens with a section about the studio specifically and then there's a part about creative process, intellectual references and the way in which they propose alternative infrastructures of working, followed by a section about reuse and another about community collaborations," she told Dezeen.
"Bethany's work not only tackles the question of the environmental impact of design, but it also has an amazing social purpose."
The exhibition design was completed by Edit
Williams is a fashion designer, humanitarian and artist. She graduated from Brighton University with a degree in Critical Fine Art before receiving a master's from the London College of Fashion in Menswear.
She launched her namesake brand in 2017 and has strived to spotlight and respond to social and environmental issues, her works see her partnering with local grassroots programs and manufacturing collections using waste materials.
Garments are exhibited alongside research, drawings and materials
A section of the display exhibits Willliams' work as part of the Emergency Designer Network. The initiative is a collaboration between herself and designers Phoebe English, Cozette McCreery and Holly Fulton.
The group of creatives, with their textile manufacturing knowledge and teams of volunteers, produced 12,000 scrubs, 100,000 masks and 4,000 gowns for frontline healthcare workers during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/10/23/waste-age-design-museum-exhibition/)
Waste from packaging tape sourced from Rimini, Italy was handwoven and constructed into functional items and garments as part of Williams's Autumn Winter 2018 collection, which was on display.
"I felt it was very important to show not just the finished garments, which you would see in a retail fashion context; being a museum display I wanted to add other layers of information," explained Khanchandani.
Williams' work merges streetwear and craft
"There are process materials like drawings and sketches, and also source material," said Khanchandani. "For instance, a jacket made of waste newspaper is shown alongside some of the waste material, the Liverpool Echo, which is dangling next to the garment."
"You're able to see the journey of the objects from inception, to finished product."
Williams has collaborated with San Patrignano, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme
Each season, the fashion studio collaborates with different local charities and grassroots programs and donates a percentage of its profits to its causes.
"With our work, we hope to continue to reach new audiences, encourage inclusivity and positive change for the fashion industry," said Williams. "The Design Museum continues to be aligned with this via the exhibitions curated, including their Waste Age exhibition, which we featured in last year."
"We are so proud to showcase our new exhibition: Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems, a celebration of the new way of working proposed for the fashion industry by the studio's work."
Dresses and corsetry feature boning constructed from waste materials
The opening of Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems was timed to coincide with Williams' Autumn Winter 2022 collection, titled The Hands that Heal Us, which was presented at the museum.
The collection included a cactus leather jacket, and garments made from recycled and organic-based denim with detachable metal hardware that aid the recycling process at the end of its life.
A skeleton suit was informed by a 19th-century children's playsuit
In 2016, Williams graduated from London College of Fashion and showed her MA graduate collection in the university's show as part of London Fashion Week.
Last year's Waste Age exhibition at the Design Museum, which featured Williams' work, explored how design has contributed to the increasing throwaway culture and how people can create an alternative circular economy that doesn't exploit the planet.
Photography is byFelix Speller.
Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is on display at the Design Museum from 22 February 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The post Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems opens at the Design Museum appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #exhibitions #design #fashion #installations #designmuseum #sustainabledesign #fashionexhibitions #sustainablefashion
Pavilions in the shape of a bee colony and the northern cardinal bird are among the beach huts built on Woodbine Beach in Toronto for this year's annual Winter Stations competition.
The six pavilions erected on the beaches of Toronto and nearby Hamilton each aim to respond to the theme "resilience" – a reference to the trials endured through the pandemic.
"This year, we not only reflect on all the ways people have had to be resilient, but the ways people have channeled this resilience, be it through communities, movements, support networks and more," said Dakota Wares-Tani, an organiser for Winter Stations.
"Over the last eight years, we have managed to draw thousands of people down the beach in the colder months and that's something we're proud of."
Winter Stations was founded by RAW Design, Ferris + Associates and Curio in 2015. The annual contest was launched to give emerging designers a chance to see their work built and displayed to the public.
Previous winners include a team from the University of Waterloo.
Last year, a delayed show was oriented around social distancing, and saw one structure covered in seedlings.
Read on for this year's pavilions:
Artists and designers were asked to respond to the theme "resilience"
Enter-Face by MELT
Cemre Önertürk & Ege Çakır of Turkey designed this series of black boxes in reference to the increased amount of screen time caused by the pandemic.
Each box allows for a few people to look out through "screens" and observe the view, simulating isolation. According to MELT it "presents a spatial atmosphere that brings people together by means of a common vision\image while isolating them physically".
The Winter Stations 2022 competition featured a design in Hamilton, Ontario
Wildlife-guard Chair by Mickael Minghetti, with the guidance of Andres Jimenez Monge
Emulating the shape of a northern cardinal, a bird that occupies the lake all year long, a wooden barrier shields the viewing station from the elements.
"The diversity of species taking refuge in the dense urban environment is both remarkable to observe and critical to preserve," said the designers of Wildlife-guard Chair.
Launched in Hamilton, Ontario this installation will move back to Toronto in early March 2021.
Winter Stations partnered with YWCA Toronto
The Hive by Kathleen Dogantzis & Will Cuthbert
Shaped like a bee colony, The Hive was part of a selection through Winter Stations' partnership with Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Toronto. It is dedicated to the gender-diverse residents of the shelters in the city's East End.
The transparent acrylic provides warmth from the sunlight and view.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/10/15/smiljan-radic-alexander-mqueen-spring-summer-2022/)
"We wanted our design to offer a place of respite for visitors," said the artists. "We also wanted the installation to vibrantly stand out against the lake, sand, and snow."
"We hoped to immerse people in the honey bee world and get them to think about what it means to work together as a community towards a single goal," they added.
The winners were chosen via blind jury
S'winter Station by Evan Fernandes, Kelvin Hoang, Alexandra Winslow, Justin Lieberman and Ariel Weiss, led by associate professor Vincent Hui
S'winter was constructed from beach towels formed into concrete panels.
Embracing the harsh local conditions, "the pavilion's wings embody movement by harnessing snow and mitigating strong winds," said the designers.
The competition gives young designers a chance to see their work built
Introspection by Christopher Hardy, Tomasz Weinberger, Clement Sung, Jason Wu, Jacob Henriquez, Christopher Law, Anthony Mattacchione, George Wang, Maggie MacPhie and Zoey Chao, led by associate professor Fiona Lim Tung
"Playing with the idea of reflection, we utilizs mirrored walls to cast the visitors as the subjects of our bright red pavilion," said the designers of Introspection.
A trellis roof lets in light and a lifeguard chair stands in the middle of the pavilion.
The installations responded to social issues
One Canada by Alex Feenstra, Megan Haralovich, Zhengyang Hua, Noah Tran, Haley White & Connor Winrow, led by assistant professor Afshin Ashari
"Here we symbolise bridging the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples through gathering," said the designers of One Canada.
The installation takes symbolism from the Anishnabae Peoples and gestures towards the contemporary issue of Truth and Reconciliation.
The photography is byJames Bombales and Jonathan Sabeniano.
The post Six "resilient" beach huts built on Toronto's beachfront for annual Winter Stations installation appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #design #installations #canada #beachhuts #toronto #winterstations
Dutch architecture office MVRDV has unveiled plans to install a giant neon-pink staircase across the exterior of Rotterdam's Het Nieuwe Instituut that will lead to a viewing platform in the same colour on its roof.
Titled Het Podium, the temporary installation will extend from the ground level plaza in front of the Het Nieuwe Instituut, adjacent to the MVRDV-designed art storage building Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, and rise along the side of the cultural centre.
Het Podium was designed by MVRDV
The staircase will be supported by a scaffolding system beneath and lead to the roof of the Het Nieuwe Instituut, which will be topped with a neon pink podium-cum-viewing platform that offers visitors panoramic views of Rotterdam.
The installation will form part of the Rotterdam Architecture Month, providing the festival with a central location that will be free for members of the public to experience while also hosting a number of architecture events.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/08/depot-boijmans-van-beuningen-rotterdam-mvrdv/)
Het Podium will extend the height of the building, which is roughly 20 metres tall. The steps will provide visitors with a scenic, bright-pink guided walk to the rooftop. A lift from within the Het Nieuwe Instituut will also allow visitors step-free access to the rooftop podium.
The installation will be the successor to MVRDV's 2016 staircase installation The Stairs. This installation similarly lead visitors to the roof of an office block in Rotterdam's city centre and was built as part of the city’s 75th anniversary of its post-war reconstruction.
It will be installed as part of Rotterdam Architecture Month
Het Podium is set to open on 1 June 2022 in time for Rotterdam Architecture Month and will be open to the public until July.
The rooftop podium will be host to a number of lectures, talks, films and exhibitions.
In 2021, MVRDV opened the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, directly opposite the Het Nieuwe Instituut, which provided the public access to 151,000 artworks.
Also in 2021, Het Nieuwe Instituut appointed Aric Chen as general and artitstic director.
Rotterdam Architecture Month is taking place in Rotterdam from 1 to 30 June. SeeDezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The post MVRDV to install neon-pink staircase and viewing platform on Het Nieuwe Instituut appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #architecture #cultural #publicandleisure #installations #mvrdv #rotterdam #news
Lighting designer Antoni Arola and Spanish light manufacturer Simon have created an installation named Fiat Lux.3 Architectures of Light at Madrid Design Festival.
Fiat Lux.3 Architectures of Light was created by Arola in collaboration with Simon within the Cultural Centre of Villa Fernán-Gómez using a smoke machine, lasers and objects including a small tree to create "non-existent spaces".
Fiat Lux.3 Architectures of Light was created by Antoni Arola and Simon
"Fiat Lux is an ongoing project, an immersive proposal to awaken the sense and consciousness, with the desire to make the visitor feel part of an illusion," said Arola.
"Architecture is created from light. Light as a building material. Non-existent spaces appear out of nowhere, mutate, mix, cut, dialogue and fade away."
Light was used to create non-physical walls. Photo is by Imagen Subliminal
The exhibition hall was filled with smoke at timed intervals with a number of lasers positioned on lighting stands used to create two-dimensional planes of light that slice through the smoke.
These two-dimensional planes formed walls of light, which the designer describes as construction elements that change and move as it is interrupted by objects and passing visitors.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2019/03/06/jorge-penades-extraperlo-design/)
"The function is a free journey through space both to contemplate the scenes and to actively interact with the physical elements and volumes that appear and disappear," said Arola.
"This set-up is designed to invoke unique sensations and emotions in each visitor and showcase light as a creative element with a great ability to transform," added Simon.
It was formed using lasers and a smoke machine. Photo is by Imagen Subliminal
A tree forms a focal point for the exhibition and is fitted to a motorised base that slowly spins and rotates. Lasers were positioned facing the tree and pan side-to-side to create piercing strips of light as the planes come into contact with the tree's rotating branches.
Wooden panels suspended from the ceiling and the equipment stands also interrupt the light paths to create openings within the spaces.
A soundscape by Mans O was paired with the light installation to provide visitors with an immersive experience.
The installation is located at the Cultural Centre of Villa Fernán-Gómez
The installation forms part of an ongoing project with Arola and Simon that evolves and adapts to different spaces as it moves location. It was previously shown at Catalonia's Lluèrnia festival in 2021.
At the 2019 edition of Madrid Design Festival, Jorge Penadés tasked 14 international designers with creating objects no larger than a shoebox and Barcelona-based designer Guillermo Santomà installed a series of sculptural structures inside a baroque-style mansion.
Fiat Lux.3 Architectures of Light is on display at the Cultural Centre of Villa Fernán-Gómez as part of Madrid Design Festival, which takes place from 15 February to 13 March 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The post Antoni Arola creates architecture "from light" for Madrid Design Festival appeared first on Dezeen.
Architecture firm Rotative Studio has created three colourful temporary pavilions for reading and socialising in the Place du Marché square in Aigle, Switzerland.
Called Three Pavilions, the structures are designed to be "a playful intervention that could help revitalise the Place du Marché", a square in the middle of the historic town.
Rotative Studio has built three colourful pavilions in Aigle
"This square will undergo a transformation during the next years, to become greener and more pedestrian-friendly," Caterina Viguera, co-founder of Rotative Studio, told Dezeen.
"This work is not only about the design and layout of the pavilions but as much about the plan to revitalize the Place du Marché, to reinterpret what is there," she added.
The largest structure is used for community meetings
The Three Pavilions are constructed from steel, with Méranti plywood facades and larchwood flooring and furniture. Aluminium was used around the openings to protect the structures from water damage.
Rotative Studio chose these materials for their strength and durability, which was especially important as the structures were built on-site. After seven years, the pavilions will be relocated to another location in the city.
The tallest pavilion is designed for viewing the surroundings
"The pavilions are built in a modular way, to make the assemblage and dissemble simple," Viguera explained. "Designed as a modular system, the pavilions are prepared in the atelier of the local maker and transported and assembled on-site."
"The combination of steel and wood ensures makes this possible and ensures their durability and resistance in time," she added.
The blue pavilion houses a library of books
The smallest pavilion is six meters tall and has a curving staircase with a viewing platform at the top. Locals who climb to the top can take in views of the nearby Alps, as well as the wine fields around the town.
The blue pavilion is home to a library of books stored on shelves behind glass sliding doors. It also holds a large table and a bench where visitors can sit to read.
[ 
The green pavilion, which is the largest and has a footprint of six by five meters, has benches all around the inside and an empty space in the middle for community events such as plays or theatre performances.
A large opening in the ceiling allows light to enter and visitors to look up at the sky above. A set of wooden stools can be placed both inside and around all of the structures.
Books are encased behind sliding glass doors
Each of the three wood-and-steel structures incorporates covered areas, steps and large openings that are accessible from all sides to reframe how both adults and children interact with the surrounding landscape.
"The locals are currently using the pavilions in different ways – they organise concerts, theatre plays, wine testings by the local winemakers and workshops between multidisciplinary groups," said Viguera.
"The children are the ones who have appropriated the structures the most: they usually arrive at the square after school, and play with the structures in multiple ways."
Each pavilion is made from steel and wood
Each structure has a different colour palette, made up of the three primary colours red, green and blue with decorative geometric lines. The architects hoped that the bright colours would add some vibrancy to the otherwise full public square.
"A strong colour palette of red, blue and green tones introduces a new identity to the square, in dialogue with the context," said the studio.
At night, the interior of the pavilions is illuminated, making them a safe space to enter in the evening.
Other recently designed pavilions include a structure designed by Kengo Kuma made from live bamboo and a pavilion informed by chocolate by architecture studio Wutopia Lab in Shanghai.
_The photography is courtesy ofRotative Studio. _
Project credits:
Client : Commune d’Aigle, department d’urbanisme, mobilité et paysage
Built by : Guarnaccia Constructions
The post Rotative Studio brightens Swiss town square with modular wooden pavilions appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #architecture #design #publicandleisure #installations #swissarchitecture #pavilions #plazaspiazzasandsquares #publicspace #piazzasandsquares
Architecture studio Assemble is one of the creators behind Dreamachine, an immersive art installation that will take place later this year as part of the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK festival.
Events producer Collective Act has conceived Dreamachine as a touring art installation that draws on the "ancient" phenomenon that flickering lights can be used to create colourful patterns behind closed eyelids.
"The use of flickering light to create vivid visual experiences can be traced as far back as ancient civilisations when communities would congregate around campfires and peer into the shimmers," said Collective Act.
"Today, the phenomenon is known to researchers as 'stroboscopically induced visual hallucinations' – and this provides the scientific foundation for the entire Dreamachine project."
Dreamachine is an art installation that visitors experience while their eyes are shut
Visitors will enter the "machine", a room designed by Turner Prize-winning London architecture studio Assemble, and lie down while listening to a musical score by electronic music artist Jon Hopkins.
As they relax, pulsating lights are streamed into the room which stimulates the optic nerve, triggering animated, kaleidoscopic patterns of colours behind their eyelids.
The effect is similar to the flurry of flickering tunnel or roadside lights that pass over closed eyes when travelling in a vehicle at night.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/24/assemble-nelly-ben-hayoun-creative-teams-festival-of-brexit/)
Collective Act based Dreamachine on an invention artist Brion Gysin devised in 1959. The original device comprised a cylinder with holes cut into the sides around a suspended light, which is placed on a record player.
As the light spins, it projected light at a rate that matched the music and corresponds to waves present in the brain during relaxation.
"The primary phenomenon – the rich inner experiences created by the Dreamachine – involves our brain activity matching the frequency of the flickering light," the organisation added.
"Designed to be the 'first artwork to be experienced with your eyes closed', Gysin had a vision for his invention to replace the TV in every home in America," it explained.
Flickering patterns of light behind their eyelids are meant to relax the mind
Collective Act collaborated with scientists and psychologists from the Universities of Sussex and Glasgow to create the art installation, which it hopes will make us question the power of our own minds and our consciousness.
"Dreamachine is a powerful new kind of immersive experience exploring the limitless potential of the human mind," Collective Act said.
"The team is investigating the idea that flickering lights impose a 'beat' on the rhythms of brain, similar to the 'alpha' rhythm – a brain state normally associated with relaxation," it continued.
[ 
Other projects at the UK government-funded Unboxed: Creativity in the UK include Tour de Moon, a series of touring events by designer Nelly Ben Hayoun.
The festival previously had the working name Festival UK* 2022 but became known as the Festival of Brexit, because it was conceived while the UK government was negotiating its withdrawal from the European Union and timed to take place a few years after the UK left.
Artist Richard Littler proposed a satirical poster for "Festival of Brexit Britain", based on the cover of the original guide for the Festival of Britain, which took place in 1951.
Dreamachine takes place from May 2022 in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh as part of Unboxed: Creativity in the UK. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The post Dreamachine installation set to give visitors a "vivid visual experience" from behind closed eyes appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #design #technology #installations #uk #exhibitions #art #assemble #sound #unboxedcreativityintheuk
British designer Es Devlin paid tribute to the Californian city of Compton, often hailed as the birthplace of hip hop, through architectural iconography for the stage design of this year's Super Bowl show.
Devlin "cast buildings as characters" for the set of Super Bowl's halftime show, which took place at the HKS-designed SoFi Stadium on Sunday and featured high-profile artists led by Compton native Dr Dre, who worked with Devlin on the design.
Es Devlin designed the stage for the Super Bowl halftime show
"We cast each of the buildings as characters in the narrative," Devlin told Dezeen.
"The buildings are placed within the map along Rosecrans Avenue," she said. "The stadium floor cloth is printed from high-resolution aerial photographs of Compton, supplied by Google Earth, with more detailed photographs taken by a local helicopter pilot."
The stadium floor was covered in a Google Earth photo of Compton
The Compton Courthouse jail, the Martin Luther King Memorial and legendary nightclub Eve After Dark were among the significant landmarks referenced throughout the performance.
Barbershops, burger joints and residential houses also appeared on the stage, while lightweight cardboard box props referenced the cardboard often found on the streets of Compton.
Famous Compton landmarks appeared on the stage
Devlin worked closely with the halftime show's producer, Dr Dre, who wanted the stage to look like an art installation as well as an arena for the performance.
"Dr Dre was immediately interested in the idea of 'placeness' – he sensed that Compton would be a protagonist in the work and that we could etch a map of Compton on the global Super Bowl stage," said Devlin.
The stage was constructed in just eight minutes
The set is made up of white boxy trailers or 'buildings' upon which the performers sing and dance. The floor was formed of a fabric floor map that could be rolled out in an instant.
Lowrider cars – vehicles that are commonly seen cruising around downtown Compton – were driven onto the stage, transforming the arena from a pitch to a theatrical stage.
[ 
The Super Bowl set is often limited by the fact that it has to be assmebled at the venue and easily broken apart in time for the second half of the football game. In total, Devlin's the set was constructed in just eight minutes.
"Bruce Rogers is the veteran Super Bowl production designer who masterminded the design to be able to appear within eight minutes and disappear within six minutes – an immense challenge requiring military precision and crew choreography," explained Devlin.
"The set-up is in fact a show in its own right," added the designer.
Dancers performed on the rooftops and in cardboard boxes on the street
During the halftime show, Dr Dre stood on the roof of a trailer designed to look like his recording studio. Rows of lights within the audience were meant to echo the rows of dials and sliders on his recording desk.
Over the course of the show, he was joined by popular artists, including rapper 50 Cent, Eminem and Snoop Dogg, who performed upbeat tracks including Next Episode and In Da Club.
"The recording studio is Dr Dre’s link and meeting point with all the other artists," explained the designer. "Much of the lived experience which informs the music heard during the show has passed through Dr Dre’s desk and hands."
"The map of Compton courses through the record producer’s hand as it hovers over the dials and switches on the 48-track recording desk," continued Devlin.
Dr Dre's recording studio was among the featured landmarks
According to Devlin, each of the venues offer visitors a multifaceted and engaging experience of the Compton music scene.
"At the start of the project, Dave Free introduced us to his Compton school friend Tremeal who took us on a tour last year," Devlin said.
"With Tremeal's guidance we began to get a sense of the complexity of this city which has produced an exceptional number of leading figures in politics, sports and music," she added.
Es Devlin is responsible for a number of high-profile stage designs, including The Weekend's Coachella music festival stage and the set of band U2's 2018 tour.
Photos are courtesy ofEs Devlin. The video is by Hamish Hamilton.
The post Landmark Compton buildings are "characters" on Es Devlin's Super Bowl stage appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #design #news #installations #setdesign #esdevlin #superbowl
The US battery specialist has signed framework agreements with four developers to deliver systems for multiple projects.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/02/15/powin-to-supply-5-8gwh-of-batteries-for-projects-in-us-and-taiwan/
#lithium-iron-phosphate, #battery, #manufacturing, #energy, #markets, #storage, #policy, #installations
Architects Eunan Deeney, Matthew Kernan and Hannah Wilson have created the five-metre-tall SoundYard musical pavilion on Queen's Quay in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The ten-metre-wide circular canopy with central oculus is supported on 16 slim columns, from which hang two concentric sets of suspended rods.
SoundYard comprises 500 concentric metal rods
Walking, running or playing below the structure triggers motion sensors that cause the mechanisms in the canopy to turn slowly, striking the hollow tubes around them.
The instrument was designed so that the music it creates gets louder as more people interact with it.
The instrument is situated opposite the Titanic Belfast museum
"In order for the installation to project its maximum sound, collaborative effort is needed by its users to set off all hidden motion sensors," explained architect Kernan.
"These were carefully placed in order for them not to be apparent and introduce curiosity," he told Dezeen.
The design includes both polished and weathered metal rods
The outer ring of reflective metal tubes were designed to act as a visual and acoustic barrier, encouraging visitors to investigate the structure.
The inner veil was made from weathered tubes as well as the exposed turning mechanisms responsible for the auditory element of the design.
"The mirror-polished columns and soffit heighten the space whilst also creating an element of play within themselves, as users intrigued by their distorted figures point and play with their reflections," explained architect Kernan.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/08/23/sonic-bloom-yuri-suzuki-connects-people-sounds-london/)
The resulting soundscape was designed to be reminiscent of the constant, rhythmic noises of striking, hammering and riveting that defined Belfast's Maritime Mile when shipbuilding was at its peak.
The installations' site, which housed a brass foundry and coal yard in the 18th and 19th centuries, was more recently occupied by an open grass amphitheater, which informed its current use.
"We chose to work with [the existing site] and created SoundYard as a performance space for people to gather within and around" added Kernan.
A reflective soffit and central oculus draw the eye up
The large-scale musical instrument stands near the Harland and Wolff shipyard, which is famed for the construction of the ocean liner Titanic, where the Titanic Belfast museum now stands.
Its construction was funded by the Titanic Foundation following a design competition in 2019 run by the Royal Society of Ulster Architects for emerging architects to create a structure that integrated the concept of play into Belfast's cityscape.
Architects Eunan Deeney, Matthew Kernan and Hannah Wilson are graduates of the University of Ulster, Queen's University Belfast and University of Westminster respectively.
Other musical installations recently featured on Dezeen include Sonic Bloom by Yuri Suzuki, The Soundwave by Penda and Lullaby Factory by Studio Weave.
The photography is byJoe Laverty.
The post Mechanical musical instrument stands on Belfast quayside appeared first on Dezeen.
#pavilions #all #architecture #installations #belfast #northernireland #sound
Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello has created a modular kiosk made from bamboo for Lagos-based skateboarding company Wafflesncream.
Called Waf Kiosk, the six-piece structure is currently located at the Wafflesncream (Waf) store in the Nigerian city, where it houses the brand's collection of skateboarding apparel.
Nifemi Marcus-Bello designed Waf Kiosk for a skateboarding clothing company
Marcus-Bello's design pays homage to Lagos' local streetwear sellers and the ways in which independent retailers have devised their own stores from which they sell.
"Leaning toward the evolution of the brand and its use of natural materials and tones, the idea was to design a space that would embrace a singular and humble material, in this case, bamboo," Marcus-Bello told Dezeen.
"While the kiosk is in use, clothes are hung above eye level to pay homage to 'Okrika' – Lagos' streetwear vendors who have created an architectural archetype to the selling of bootleg and secondhand clothing across Lagos," he added.
The modular pavilion can be arranged in different configurations
Waf Kiosk is built from tubular steel and bamboo – a sustainable plant that is known for its natural lightness and flexibility as well as its strength. The tubular steel was used to construct the frame of each modular structure, while the bamboo was used to wrap around the final design.
Marcus-Bello sourced the bamboo from Badagry, a coastal town that straddles the outskirts of Lagos and the northern bank of the creek stretching to Porto-Novo, in neighbouring Benin.
Marcus-Bello used bamboo for its lightweight qualities
The designer became interested in the material following a research trip to the Beninese captial where he saw that many shop and home frontages featured bamboo blinds called kosinlé.
He was particularly attracted to the "beautiful silhouette effects" the blinds had on the people behind them.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2016/10/26/nifemi-marcus-bello-tebur-flat-pack-table-desk-furniture-design/)
"During a research trip to the Benin Republic, I was driving from the capital city Porto-Novo to Cotonou," Marcus-Bello explained.
"As we drove to the main road leading to Cotonou I noticed these locally made blinds used to cover the front of wooden kiosks that sold confectioneries and windows of the homeowners as well."
"I tracked down a local maker and bought two of the blinds and brought them to Lagos with me" he continued.
The kiosk can be carried to different locations in Lagos
The use of bamboo strips also means that the structure can easily be transported to different locations.
The six triangular structures can also be assembled into multiple variations, creating what Marcus-Bello calls "a variety of experiences" for shoppers.
Marcus-Bellow drew on Beninese blinds for the kiosk
"One thing that stood out to me in our conversation was the necessity for modularity for both form and functionality," the designer said.
"Using one, two or three pieces you can create different setups, which allows the brand to have two or three activations across the city during busy seasons."
"The final design is able to create a variety of setups allowing modularity in not just its form but its experience," he added.
The slatted bamboo is designed to create interesting silhouettes
Due to the bamboo's versatility, the material has been used to create pavilions all over the world.
Architecture studio Kengo Kuma and Associates built a pavilion with a textile roof supported by bamboo stalks at a temple in Kyoto, Japan, while artist Morag Myerscough installed a colourful bamboo structure in a park in London.
The photography is byJide Ayeni.
The post Nifemi Marcus-Bello creates bamboo pavilion for Nigerian skateboarding brand appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #design #highlights #installations #retail #bamboo #pavilions #kiosks #nigeria #lagos #popupshops #shops #nifemimarcusbello
The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation has denied reports that the duo's Mastaba project is set to be realised in the UAE as it still doesn't have government authorisation.
Despite reports in several design publications that Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 150-metre-high prismatic sculpture was set to finally be built, the organisation that manages the artists' estate confirmed to Dezeen that it remains a proposal.
"Over the last weeks, some publications may have had misleading headlines letting some understand that The Mastaba, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's final project, was being built in the Liwa Desert (UAE), which is not the reality," the foundation said.
Christo's model of The Mastaba, which was intended to be built in the UAE desert. Above and top images of Christo are by Wolfgang Volz
"We are still in the planning phase of this project, which would be Christo and Jeanne-Claude's final and permanent work of art to be realised," said a representative for the foundation.
"Like the artists' past projects, The Mastaba will move forward when and if government approval is received. But we are grateful for public enthusiasm for this project and look forward to the possibility of bringing it to life."
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2020/06/01/christo-jeanne-claude-seven-key-projects-installations-design/)
The artists conceived of The Mastaba for the United Arab Emirates in 1977, more than 40 years ago. After Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009 and Christo in 2020 the work to realise their vision has continued, as per their wishes.
If built, The Mastaba will become the largest contemporary sculpture in the world, topping the Great Pyramid of Giza in height while being significantly wider.
One of Christo's sketches for The Mastaba, which the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation is still hoping to build. Photo is by André Grossmann
With a name and shape derived from a type of flat-roofed ancient Egyptian tomb, The Mastaba would be made from 410,000 55-gallon steel barrels that form a multicoloured pattern, echoing the mosaics of Islamic architecture.
The proposed location is the Liwa desert, approximately 160 kilometres south of Abu Dhabi, and the project would become the only permanent large-scale public sculpture by the artists, who are best known for temporary installations involving fabric and wrapping.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2018/06/18/cristo-unveils-the-london-mastaba-floating-on-serpentine-lake/)
The project would be entirely self-funded by the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, but it needs government approval before it can go ahead.
The build would be carried out by Christo's nephew Vladimir Yavachev, who worked with the artists for 30 years and brought to life their L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped in 2021.
The Mastaba would be taller and wider than the Great Pyramid of Giza
The Mastaba would be the artists' final artwork, as Christo authorised no further projects beyond these two before his death.
While a recent tweet from the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation hinted at upcoming updates about The Mastaba, the organisation clarified to Dezeen that this referred to exhibitions and other showcase opportunities.
The Colnaghi Gallery presented some of Christo's sketches for The Mastaba during the Abu Dhabi Art fair at the end of 2021, hoping to cultivate interest in the project's realisation.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude searching for a site for The Mastaba in the UAE 1982. Photo is by Wolfgang Volz
The Mastaba was previously brought to life in a mini, floating version in London in 2018. It was the last project Christo completed before his death in 2020, at the age of 84.
He met his wife and creative partner Jeanne-Claude in 1958, and the two went on to produce works such as Wall of Oil Barrels, Wrapped Coast, Valley Curtain and Surrounded Islands. Christo continued to make work under both their names after Jeanne-Claude's death in 2009.
All photography courtesy of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation.
The post Reports that Christo and Jeanne-Claude's final project is set to be built "misleading" appeared first on Dezeen.
#all #design #news #installations #unitedarabemirates #sculptures #christo
Stage architecture studio Stufish has built what it says is the world's largest kaleidoscope — a mirrored installation that shows ever-shifting images of Saudi Arabia.
Measuring 40 metres long and 6 metres high, Stufish's kaleidoscope was installed at the 2022 LEAP technology conference in Riyadh and provided guests with a walk-through, immersive experience. According to the studio, it is "the world’s largest of its kind."
Stufish's kaleidoscope was on display at the LEAP 2022 conference
Titled LEAPscape, the kaleidoscope was made of LED tiles and tensioned mirror foil. The mirror foil — a Showtex product called GiantMirror – allowed Stufish to produce a totally seamless and warp-less finish, with no visual interruptions to the viewer's experience.
On the LED tiles, Stufish screened a presentation made up of scenes of Saudi Arabia's natural environment, with imagery stretching from beneath the sea to the skies above the Arabian Peninsula. The imagery is layered with digital effects and reflects off the mirrors to produce a kaleidoscope effect.
The imagery in the kaleidoscope is drawn from scenes of Saudi Arabian nature
Stufish partner Maciej Woroniecki told Dezeen that the visualisation had to be carefully developed to achieve the desired effect.
"We developed the kaleidoscope utilising 3ds Max software and virtual-reality headsets in order to verify the effect internally but also to produce the content and ensure the patterns are effective, the transitions are fluid and that the changes to the environment are not so aggressive as to make one sick," he said.
[ 
](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/09/07/stufish-arena-london-abba-reunion-tour/)
The designers tried to alter the scale of the environmental imagery often enough to allow visitors to "have a breather" in their experience.
"The sensations one feels between different scenes within the kaleidoscope is like stepping from one room into another – some are fully immersive and displace you from a position of stability, while others allow you to re-centre and recognise the confines of the space," said Woroniecki.
Stufish's kaleidoscope features LED tiles on its floor and end wall, with the mirror foil forming the rest of the space.
People are able to walk through the immersive 40-metre-long installation
Triangular entry and exit openings at either end allow visitors to enter, and have been carefully placed so as not to disrupt the visual experience of the installation.
Woroniecki said the kaleidoscope demonstrated how much could be achieved using very little. Because it is made with mirror foil rather than fabricated elements in glass or steel, the installation is light, weighing just 15 kilograms.
"This size was the minimal scale at which an installation like this could be impactful," said Woroniecki. "Anything smaller and the power of the changing content diminishes."
"The scale is also a signifier of what can be achieved when design utilises the right material in the right way."
The installation is built from LED tiles and mirror foil and weight only 15 kilograms
Stufish has created further mirror-based installations that it hopes to unveil in the coming year.
The studio brands itself as an "entertainment architecture" practice and is best known for creating set designs for arena concerts by the likes of The Rolling Stones and U2.
It has previously designed the circus-tent-like golden Chimelong Theatre in China and its mass timber temporary venue for ABBA's virtual Voyage tour is currently nearing completion in the UK.
The 2022 LEAP One Eye on the Stars Conference took place in Riyadh on 1 to 3 February. SeeDezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The post Stufish designs "world's largest kaleidoscope" in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Dezeen.
BloombergNEF’s Jenny Chase has surveyed the state of affairs in world solar for clean energy journal Joule and said the technology’s historic ability to surmount obstacles – and persistently confound analysts’ predictions – should offer a reason for hope.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/02/10/solar-and-wind-deployment-could-not-now-be-stopped-if-we-wanted-to/
#installations, #solar, #utility, #bloomberg, #scale, #pv, #bloombergnef
