Art Wind Energy Unit (A.W.E.) - Ana Morcillo Pallares, Jonathan Rule

Energy technologies: VAWT windspire wind turbines, wind scoop, solar ivy Annual capacity: 1 unit = 29,000 kWh/y

The A.W.E. unit or Art Wind Energy unit, combines sculpture, engineering and wind to generate clean energy and offset the new energy demands at Freshkills.

The A.W.E. creates a visual stimulation for the park’s visitors with its structural fragility and its kinetically twisting pattern referencing the cyclical movement of the winds interaction with the turbines. In addition, the unit serves as a spatial generator to be used as a 360° look-out so visitors can gaze in “AWE” at the transformation that has taken place at Freshkills.

Tensegrity is a combination of tensile-integrity as coined by R. Buckminster Fuller, who described these structures as, “small islands of compression in a sea of tension”. A tensegrity structure was chosen for its unique capabilities that are not found in traditional structures as well as its ability to be considered an art form as seen in the sculptures of Kenneth Snelson. In the case of Freshkills, the mounds are in constant flux as a result of the decomposition of waste under the cap. This differential settlement is difficult to quantify and therefore requires a structure that is tunable to prevent possible damage and collapse.

Energy production in this installation is made possible by the incorporation of a series of VAWT windspire wind turbines surrounded by an outer sheath of solar ivy. This combination allows for the production of clean energy, shade for visitors and protects wildlife. The combination of systems for collecting energy will allow a single A.W.E. unit to produce 29,000kWH/year.