LAGI 2014 design competition
Floating Forest (Between the trees!)
Concept –Boat Floating and Photosynthesis
Inspiring by the boat’s movement, the floating forest is a new urban place in which Natural and Artificial elements meet. It is designed to improve people life and to respect the natural ecosystems.
The concept originates from the observation of the boats floating on the water surface. The trees of the boats, moved by the force of the waves. sway on the water. They move left and right, up and down on the water surface.
Trees are the focus point of the project. Like in a big Forest, Natural and Artificial elements cooperate together to improve the life quality. Both elements capture carbon dioxide and give back clean air to the surrounding environment. Like a plant, the new artificial elements, the poles, accumulate carbon dioxide and give back clean air (i.e. oxygen).
The idea is to create a new Urban Space in RefshaleØen, Copenhagen, and at the same time a big Park (i.e. the forest) with the purpose of purifying the polluted air. The artificial trees interact with the environment, being visible both day and night and representing the new landmark for Copenhagen. The “Floating Forest” interacts with the sea and with the new dock. People coming from the sea or visiting the city (in the opposite bank) can always see it.
Message – “MORE ENERGY FOR MORE O2”
The message is concentrated on the reflection of what the energy is and in which way it is spent. Usually people think: “The production of Energy requires more resources and, at the same time, more harmful substances, that means more emissions into the environment”. The aim of “Floating Forest” is demonstrate that this statement is not necessarily true.
Energy and its production are substancially linked to our use. To reduce the emissive substances we need to reduce energy use.
Our work starts from a reflection about this concept. We contrast the slogan “MORE ENERGY=MORE CO2” with “MORE ENERGY=MORE O2”. The use of energy collaborates to the air purification. The energy, produced in the park, permit to purificate the air. The “Floating forest”, in fact, is activated by the consume on the bank in the heart of the park. When the poles are activated they produce energy (with the waves force) and, at the same time, they clean the polluted air of the surrounding.
The project wants to link together production of energy, consumers and their environment. The correct use and production of energy helps achieveing a better quality of life along with the respect of the environment.
Description - The Park
The new Park and public space is a new qualifiyng space for RefshaleØen. It aims to be a new meeting place, for those who work near RefshaleØen and for the people who want to spend here their free time. A meeting place and a symbol for Copenhagen.
For the realization of the Park the bank soil is remodelled and reclaimed from the existing polluted soil.
The Park is composed by natural and artificial elements. A big green lung, in north-east of the site, composed by trees which are able to clean the air and create shaded areas.
A suspended path runs along all the area, linking the water taxi stop at the rest of the neighbourhood. This path overlooks the sea to regain the relationship with water. There are different thematic areas in the new park, at different levels. Natural areas, like sand dunes, green dunes, thematic rooms (urban gardens) and artificial elements like the suspended path and the terraced square for outdoor events. An artificial pool, cropped from the existing bank permits to play water sport and open air activity.
A series of artificial poles, generated from a regular grid, gives a proportion to this oversized space and accumulate energy (produced by the water floating poles) working as big batteries (accumulators and distributors of energy).
Poles – Forest Elements
There are three types of poles.
Floating Poles, over the water surface, that produce energy with their oscillatory movement, in a completely passive way. With the contribution of two systems the poles generate energy. A system uses the kinetic energy resulting from the movement of the pole connected to the floating. A second system uses the energy generated inside the pole by the hydraulic thrust (with the compressed air created).
Poles in the water surface, contribute to the energy production. The pole produces energy by the force of the waves crashing on the artificial beach. The rotatory movement of the turbine at the base of the pole allows this.
Poles in the Park, which are energy storages (as big batteries). At the same time, these poles are energy dispensers which allow to connect any electrical and electronic device.
All poles types are dotated of a purification system, that purifies the polluted air. The system is the same of a natural forest. Together with the natural trees in the park, this poles grid contribuites to generate cleaned air, for a better quality of the air in this place.
A display on it indicate the level of the energy produced or consumed. Other information can be read on the poles cover, such as quantity of air cleaned in a certain period, quantity of CO2 removed and so on.
The position and the movement of the poles indicate if the cleaning system is activated. When the system is active the poles are in movement while the system is deactivated when the poles are stopped.
“Floating Poles” and “poles in the water surface” are the two systems for the energy production. They work together because they are linked each other. They send the energy produced to the “Poles in the Park”, where it is accumuled and subsequently consumed.
Energy Efficiency – Self Powered park that sustains the neighbourhood
Completely self-powered, the forest is not only independent of the main electrical grid but also allows to support the neighbourhood. The electrical public lighting system, the electrical water taxy and a small system of light mobility such as segways and electrical bicycles are also sustained by it.
