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POWERleap


The Design
		Light: This installation of the concept is designed for a high foot traffic city sidewalk. Through this design the participant experiences the instantaneous relationship present between humans and electricity generation. As one passes over the tiles, green LED’s light up inside each glas tile to guide and mark their path. Energy: By stepping on the tile, a small piezo-electric plate inside the tile flexes and displaces a charge across the surface. The charge is output to light a circuit of LED’s for the participant’s enjoyment. This charge could otherwise be stored and used to generate electricity for overhead lighting, household appliances, city utilities...
		Materials: Glass, although brittle, can withhold a great mechanical force. The visual element of its transparency allows the participant to gaze into the system he/she is interacting with. Which in turn displays how the tiles are working to collect our energy and to not waste what is readily available. Concrete is a common and durable material used in sidewalks internationally. These components are each reinforced with a steel web, and cast with a repeating wave to resemble the sine wave of an alternating electric current.

SELECTED WORKS

THE DESIGNER

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Pattern:
Each tile, made of glass and concrete, is cast with a repeating modular pattern. The intermittent tiles spread in all directions to illustrate to the pedestrian the ripple effect of his/her movement has on the energy infrastructure. The wave reminds us of Nicola Tesla's Alternating Current.

The pattern is a cultural hybrid of multiple international sidewalk patterns.
Modularity of the system allow for easy repairs and maintenance.

Retrofit May 2007 in collaboration with Jan Henrik Andersen: a redesign of the base and circuitry elements.
		The mounting system of 2 piezoelectric plates.

		Inserting the mounted plates on the carbon fiber and texilium base.
		Below the glass surface resides the base, the mount, 2 piezoelectric plates, 8 ultrabright LEDs, and the wires that condut the goods.
		STEP...
		...AND LIGHT!