SOLAR SPLINE - ORGANIC PV LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE
| Locaction: | Kassel, Germany |
| Year | 2017 |
| Area: | 30/100m² |
| Status: | academic |
| Credit: | Dr. Markus Schein |
| Images: | © University of Kassel, Timo Carl |
| Partners: | OPVIUS GmbH, Carl Stahl GmbH |
The
Solar Spline project tackles parameters of
adaptability and photovoltaic energy production as
well as light and shadow in the form of a
three-dimensional lightweight structure. It also
investigates the potential of such a conception for
an extension of external shading structures into the
urban realm.
The
prototypical demonstrator that was built with an interdisciplinary team of architecture and design students in close collaboratin with Dr. Markus Schein of the School of Art and Design Kassel.
It covers roughly an area of 30 m². This canopy is
comprised of 300 organic photovoltaic cells (OPV),
provided at no charge by OPVIUS GmbH, that are
integrated into the lightweight structure. This
‘solar cloud’ seems to be suspended in midair, held
in place by two white supporting ropes roughly 70 m
in length (d = 20mm), forming a three-dimensional
figure. The supporting ropes are anchored between a
group of trees and the ground by an array of thin,
almost invisible dark cables (d = 2mm).
The ‘solar cloud’ is composed of a series of
rope carriers which consist of thin aluminum tubes
(d = 6 mm), acting both as compression members for
the structure, and as a mount for an ultra-light,
vacuum-formed polyethylene
terephthalate,
0,5 mm) carrying
the OPV modules on its upper side.
Department of Experimental Design and Construction,
University
of Kassel
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Frank Stepper, Dipl.-Ing., M.Arch (UCLA) Timo Carl
Digital 3D Fabrication, School of Art Kassel
Dr. Markus Schein
