“No energy source is too small to be exploited” – Holcim Awards Jury

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    Project entry 2008 North America - "Responsive urban downtown activity center, Boston, USA": Floor plans 2.

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    Holcim Awards "Next Generation" 3rd prize 2008 North America: (l-r) Brigitte Cuperus (Technical Competence Center of the Holcim Foundation) and Andrew Edward Lantz.

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    Holcim Awards "Next Generation" 3rd prize 2008 North America: (l-r) Brigitte Cuperus (Technical Competence Center of the Holcim Foundation) and Andrew Edward Lantz.

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    Holcim Awards "Next Generation" 3rd prize 2008 North America: Andrew Edward Lantz

Locating itself on a bisecting garden and artificial path weaving through downtown Boston, the concept for a new YMCA proposes a continuation of this existing green space and to articulate the notion of a program as path which is made up of fitness, cultural and housing program elements. The unique idea is to gather and use the energy created with the activities intrinsic within each program category, such as running on a treadmill, for instance.

Last updated: July 01, 2008 Cambridge, MA, USA

The collected energy will then be stored in batteries and used for public purposes such as lighting the pathways or completely running the YMCA building. The striking vision of this project is the conviction that no energy source is too small to be exploited.