Land Art Generator Initiative Design Competition Call for submissions

Matthew Rosenberg, 2012 Land Art Generator Design Competition Award Winner, "Fresh Hills," Photo courtesy of http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/8Y8B8U8R/

Competition Brief Calls for Collaboration of Artists, Scientists, Engineers, and Designers

The Land Art Generator Initiative, founded in 2009 by architect Robert Ferry and artist Elizabeth Monoian, is a platform for collaboration and the exchange of knowledge between aesthetics-based disciplines and technology-driven industries. The goal of the organization is to intertwine elements of art into the science of renewable energy, ultimately creating viable solutions for the future. By taking art out of the confines of a gallery, and incorporating the utility of energy production, the organization hosts a unique niche for artists.

By Allison Palenske

Public outreach and education is a critical part of the Land Art Generator Initiative’s model. Starting in 2010, the organization launched a set of biannual competitions, open to students and professionals alike, to test their ideas and challenge perceptions of both public art and the energy industry. The first competition, set in Abu Dhabi, received myriad entries that adapted technologies for visual appeal. The winning proposals included--
·         Lunar Cubit—a set of pyramids that illuminate according to the phases of the moon
·         Windstalk—1203 carbon fiber reinforced resin poles that sway in the wind
·         Solaris—an undulating fabric form that creates morphing spaces

The site of the 2012 competition was Fresh Kills Park, in Staten Island, New York. The winning proposals included--
·         Scene-Sensor // Crossing Social and Ecological Flows—a bridge screened with a canvas of pixels that reflect and respond to natural forces
·         Fresh Hills—undulating mounds constructed of bamboo that channel wind
·         PIVOT—a floating, moving platform structure that adapts to rising water levels
·         99 Red Balloons—99 macro-scale balloons effortlessly floating in the air

The 2014 competition brief released in January calls for entries that respond to a post-industrial site in Copenhagen, Denmark. The site, Refshaleøen, is a former shipyard that has been redeveloped in recent years for creative businesses, entertainment, and the hospitality industry. Given the creative visual identity of Copenhagen, and Denmark’s progressive renewable energy policies, this competition offers an inspiring opportunity to reevaluate and innovate our cultural relationship with energy usage and production.

More information about the current competition can be found here. The deadline for entries is May 18, 2014, and it is free to submit.