LAGI, UAE 2010

Status: competition entry,2010

The inspiration from fractals for the LAGI project came not only because they generated interesting geometries or patterns but also gave a fundamental advantage of expanding & increasing a surface area of a form. (In this project the diagrams used in LAGI are a fractal form usually called “The Koch snowflake/star” It is generated using a geometric & mathematical operation which in turn gives shapes with increased perimeter)

Fractal geometry is a field that mixes art with mathematics to demonstrate that equations are more than just a collection of numbers. What makes fractals even more interesting is that they are the best existing mathematical descriptions of many natural forms, such as coastlines, mountains or parts of living organisms .It might be mentioned the coastline next to the LAGI site-2 itself is a fractal when observed minutely. The planning strategy also becomes more contextual when fractals are used. So using fractal geometries in planning & organization of inclined pylon like concrete structures supporting photo voltaic panels would not only generate more electricity than a non fractal linear arrangement but also become a contextual to the site.

The structural stiffness can also be increased as the concrete pylons would form together a kind of folded plate structure. As a whole the project represents nature’s microcosm in blow-up & celebrates technology.

It would be a kind of art that gazes towards science while at the same time in retrospective represents the amalgamation of  technology & science through a form of art. The pylons would be oriented to maximize efficiency by properly adjusting each photovoltaic panel to an optimum angle & also by eliminating segments of concrete panels that fall into shadow zones. The total master plan would also be based on fractals as pathways; landscaping etc.

During night time these concrete inclined pylons become illuminated and would give an interesting silhouette as they create strokes of light in a larger scale not only to be rather monumental as observers pass by the highways but also to be an iconic art in a regional scale.