INSPIRED BY NATURE
The concept
In the same way that plants use and transform light in the process of photosynthesis, the shelter is inspired by the plant canopy and is built around a solar canopy constructed around the trees on the site. With its interplay of fullness and emptiness, the shelter features both sheltered and open spaces. The shelter was designed to provide a pleasant meeting space in fine weather, maximizing the use of the structure, which would otherwise only be used in inclement weather. The opalescent glass canopy integrates solar-powered panels and transforms natural light to provide various services: lighting, Wi-Fi and power for a display panel. Motion sensors integrated into the roof detect the presence of users in the shelter and tell the microcontroller (Arduino) to modulate the light color according to the number of people inside. In this way, the LED lighting changes from white to a slightly orange hue as the number of people in the shelter increases, a way of making users aware of their energy consumption (using Wi-Fi, for example). Environmental information and consumption statistics are communicated to users present in the shelter via a "Flipdots" display panel. This technology uses both a mechanical and electromagnetic system to rotate small discs on an axis, alternating between on and off positions. The advantage of this system is that it consumes very little energy, since the display is only refreshed when a user is inside the shelter. Given the limited nature of solar energy, the shelter is equipped with a battery capable of storing approximately 10 kWh. The shelter's construction is based on a wooden structure (reducing its footprint) anchored in a gravel-covered soil, a way of maintaining coolness under the canopy. Fiberglass-reinforced concrete seats are sprinkled throughout to create a veritable urban haven.
Public consultation
At the start of the project, a field consultation was carried out with users of the existing shelter on Concordia University's Loyola Campus. We spent a day there, interviewing some forty passers-by using a questionnaire containing around ten questions related to the use of the shelter. The questionnaire asked respondents how they used the current shelter and how often, what they liked best and what they didn't like about it. This consultation brought out a number of important points, which then fed into the conceptual approach to the project presented. What emerged from the responses was that the shelter was mostly used in bad and cold weather, and that on these occasions, the auxiliary heating was appreciated. However, some found the shelter cramped during busy periods. Finally, we also found that no one mentioned using the shelter in fine spring or summer weather for anything other than shelter from the wind or rain. Unsurprisingly, the season when people use the shelter most is winter, followed by autumn. Surprisingly, many never paid any attention to the services offered by the shelter, under the pretext that it's just walls and a roof. Finally, the shelter used to offer a digital signage service (TV), but according to some users, this has been out of order for some time. It should be noted that the questionnaire was given to the respondents, who answered it without any intervention from the team members, in order to eliminate any form of bias.
(Competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
The jury agreed that this project had an iconic potential. And could essentially become a symbol of Concordia's commitment to sustainability. It is symbolic based on its form and its materiality, and is ambitious in its adoption of solar technology. The solar panels are quietly hidden in the canopy. The solar panels and the text are concise enough to underline how the team proposed to incorporate the existing vegetation into the shelter and the sophisticated manner in which the solar panels could be integrated into the floating canopy, which glows at night. The transparency of the canopy makes it look like a floating structure at nighttime and gives it a beacon-like quality. It has an innovative form. This team has carefully considered the site in its design.
(From jury report)
7 scanned / 7 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Plan
- Plan
- Section
- Construction detail
