A Sustainable Future Addressing Climate Change Urgency”

Introduction: Climate change is a daunting and alarming process, often unseen to most. This public art proposal, “in TIME?”, aims to raise awareness about the urgency of the current climate crisis. It also hints at a metabolic and circular future.

Description: “in TIME?” is a captivating public art installation in Mannheim, featuring seven pie-shaped public spaces, representing each day of the week. Within these pies are twenty-four glowing columns. They symbolize the hours of the day. They mark time to emphasize the urgency of acting against climate change.

Design: The design of each pie is carefully composed, considering local parameters and existing street compositions. The ground encourages play and creativity, accommodating public interventions. The “hour-columns” within the cluster are responsive to local conditions on a global scale. They are designed with parametric elements such as light cones, solar fins, horticulture pods, vertical gardens, and energy reservoirs.

Energy Generation: This installation generates approximately 1077.6 MWh of energy annually, utilizing Multi-Junction Solar Cells with a theoretical conversion efficiency of 86.8% (assumed to be 42.5% for realistic scenarios). About 67% of the produced energy is directed to the city grid. This supports nearly 200 households. Meanwhile, 43% powers the proposal itself.

Sustainable Goals: “in TIME?” aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13, urging urgent action to combat climate change. It also reflects upon Goal 3, which promotes healthy lives. Additionally, it addresses Goal 7, which ensures sustainable and modern energy for all. Lastly, it relates to Goal 12, fostering sustainable consumption and production patterns.