“Recognized design potential, particularly its implications for landscape planning” – Holcim Awards Jury
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Project entry 2014 North America – Machine Landscape: Coal mining sites for hydro-pump electricity storage, Greene County, PA, USA
Section image illustrating the contrast of what is happening above surface and below surface; “tranquil waterfront environment” versus “hardcore power plant” underground. What is unique about the proposed waterbodies is that water circulation speed is extraordinarily fast. Due to the daily cycle of circulating water for electricity storage purpose, waterbodies fill-up and discharge all the water within a day, and repeat the cycle daily, thus bringing a dramatic landscape to visitors.
Notwithstanding the simplicity and ingenuity of the proposed technology, the submitted project recognizes its design potential, particularly its implications for landscape planning. The jury highly applauded the idea to combine abandoned infrastructure, energy production, and spatial design into a “machine” that is both useful and beautiful, one that performs a much needed function, one that is inherently sustainable, one that reuses and recycles deserted sites, and one that ultimately touches the senses.
Last updated: June 30, 2014 Cambridge, MA, USA
Notwithstanding the simplicity and ingenuity of the proposed technology, the submitted project recognizes its design potential, particularly its implications for landscape planning. The jury highly applauded the idea to combine abandoned infrastructure, energy production, and spatial design into a “machine” that is both useful and beautiful, one that performs a much needed function, one that is inherently sustainable, one that reuses and recycles deserted sites, and one that ultimately touches the senses.