The saying "it isn't rocket science" sadly doesn't apply to the art project/ski slope/waste-to-energy plant currently under construction in Copenhagen, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to have a certain amount of visual impact. The architects hope to incorporate a steam ring generator into the building's smokestack which would create gargantuan, 15-meter-high, 7.5-meter diameter smoke rings in the sky. Meant to be a visual reminder of each ton of CO2 released into the atmosphere, the technology is steampunk with a social message. To create the final prototype and proof of concept, the firm has launched a Kickstarter campaign with collaborators realities:united (the Berlin-based art group that came up with the concept), Peter Madsen's Rumlaboratorium as well as the Danish Technical University (so yes, rocket scientists are involved).
The smoke ring system has already gone through two smaller tests funded by the designers. They're looking for $15,000 to complete one final prototype in anticipation of the facility's 2017 opening. A juicy detail buried in the otherwise standard reward section suggests the prototype system will be tested in Copenhagen and/or this year's Chicago Architectural Biennial. If this succeeds, it may present a case study on how to bring more of BIG's crazy concepts to life.
・These Ikea Hacks by Bjarke Ingels and More Are Rather Suave [Curbed]
・Mad Scientist Bjarke Ingels Wants to Put Tesla Coils Atop Battersea Power Station [Curbed]
・6 Gems From Bjarke Ingels's Charlie Rose Sit-Down [Curbed]
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