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Art in Energy
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| THE AESTHETIC FUTURE OF WINDFARMS Christoph Ernst, J. Liersch, M. Melsheimer, windmove Leibnizsrr, 41 10629 Berlin Fon +49-30-2828532 Email: mail@windmovede,www.windmove.de The Atelier für Gestaltung works in the border area between design and art. We are working interdisciplinary, that means we are co-operating with engineers, landscape architects, marketing experts, designers and artists. Dynamic Wind Art is developed in collaboration with Dynamix Engineering HE AESTHETIC FUTURE OF WIND PARKS Wind energy is clearly a positive product. 1.Acceptance Yet the problems in its acceptance that often occur on site are well known. Why do these problems arise? . The main argument against wind energy is, beside noise and shadow: "Wind energy plants disturb or divide the landscape and the view. As a result of this critic producers and operators have up till now invested a great deal of money and time in attempting to conceal the plants and parks visually, with the aim of making them invisible Mission Impossible! "Integration in the landscape" of wind parks is an aim to rise the acceptance. But the larger the plants become, the more obscure this undertaking. Mission Impossible II! It is no wonder then that opponents, when they observe these efforts – and their failures, are supported in their arguments. Where do the obviously and principally irrational components in the critique of wind turbines come from? The social anthropologist E. C. Mohrmann identifies in his publication "Wind Turbines: Modern Fetish and Taboo - in Open Landscape" the simultaneous unconscious perception of phallic and vaginal symbolism as a primary cause. This might sound funny and exaggerated to us, but it indicates that we have to react also to irrationally motivated criticism. We want to help contribute to a relaxing of these taboos. More lightness, more humor, who could be afraid of a more playful approach to the topic? A further challenge is the uniformity of the parks. The aesthetic quality has not progressed since the early days of their existence. There are rules like: "All plants should have the same number of wings and turn in the same direction." And that's almost all till now. The various parks do not possess their own identity for observers. You know one, you know them all is the widespread opinion. How can one expect sympathetic reactions then? There is absolutely no reason to label parks with the image "don't touch". They are neither fetish nor taboo. In recent times French friends, artists and politicians have been increasingly turning to me – and asking questions. Questions about the aesthetics of wind parks. Who ever wants to be successful in France and elsewhere, can not continue as before. A new aesthetic approach is called for. 2. Aesthetic Our philosophy is new. Our point of view is different. Growing from the base of art. We declare Wind turbines as being beautiful. Now the ensemble of turbines has to be designed in a proper manner. We would like to show how. There is no reason to make an effort to hide the parks. They should transmit fun and joy. And they do have the potential for this. A new perception among those for and against is necessary. Wind turbines have to correspond, to react and to talk to their surroundings; this has to be the goal. That can also be realized by showing a contrast. Not the despairing attempts at creating as little disturbance as possible. For example: in their time, historic windmills were oversized buildings. Or Water towers: do they disturb us when we drive through Southern France? Or do you know anybody complaining about the size of these guys? Historic windmills, water towers, and huge monuments have their own character. They do not seem to look a like. So, what does that mean for designing energy wind parks? We deliver answers. Our most spectacular one is Dynamic Wind Art. 3. The project: Dynamic Wind Art The project Dynamic Wind Art brings art to the wind energy parks. The center of these is the heart of the plants: the rotors. These make up the focus of the singular presentation of the aesthetic of the wind. That is what characterizes the Wind turbines: movement. Internationally established artists from the areas of the visual arts, film, photography and music design each one (and this is vital) wind park. This involves a continually changing artistic process, further developed each time by new artists and their concepts and also specific to each site. For a limited period of time (4 – 8 weeks), the art works lend the wind rotors a new appearance. We are planing three Events a year at different locations. Coast – inland – offshore. Each concept will react to the different surrounding. We would like to start with parks of 15 to 20 wind turbines. A unified appearance is the aim. We have already developed different variants and combinations. Let's start with variant day. 3.1.Variant Day Diverse fabrics are fixed to the rotors. The rotation creates images, which appear as enormous circles for example, depending on the diameter of the rotors. Gigantic images arise though the most varied colors, forms and wind movements. 3.2.Variant Night Electric lightning foil is fixed to the rotor blades. Via rotation and electronic switching "moving pictures" are created. Different colours and uncountable effects are possible. This technique will specially challenge photographers and filmmakers. Impressive images will arise, whose focus is always the WEP. Hardly anyone will be able to ignore the fascination of windmill –movement – wind – and art. Finally the majestic magic and beauty of the parks is recognized in addition to their positive function. Variant Night – Day Combination It will also be possible to combine the day and night variants. So there will be electric lightning foils fixed to the flags, which are mounted to the rotors. That will create the image of flying lights in the night. Music Another variant will be for musicians. Small harps will be fixed to the rotor blades. With the possibility to close them by an electronic relais. Sound created by the wind. Controlled by the musician. 6. Technique / Engineering Of course, there were numerous issues of a technical nature which had to be solved. Set-up/take-down, adhesion, minimizing the reductions in efficiency, lightning bolt safety, radio disturbances, protection of the tower and of the housing, starting and stopping phase, danger of tangle-ups, electrification, optimizing the visual effects. The decisive issues have already been solved with very positive results; now we are proceeding with final tests at a test turbine of a German university. Partners We would like to involve as many partners from the wind industry as possible, as we are convinced that we can contribute to improving the image, so that many firms and the whole industry will profit. In addition we would like to provide the opportunity for internationally active companies from other industries to involve themselves. At the same time we have the support of renowned artists, who look forward to co-operating in this project. We would like to thank for their collaboration: Ingenieurbüro Dynamix Deutsche Windguard Prof. Andreas Brandolini, University Saarbrücken Department of Design Heike Niemeier, art historian Christian Perzborn, animation Dirk Mohrmann, communication Frank Bünger, landscape architect Anja Köstler graphics Peter Gruchot, Film & Foto Samuel Keller, Director Art Basel /Miami We are thankful of support from: Wirtschaftsverband Windkraftwerke e.V. Bundesverband Windenergie e.V. TU Berlin Institut Francaise, Niedersachsen Wim Wenders. Filmmaker |
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