FREDERIK
DESCHUYTTER
WORK
ABOUT
METHOD
MATERIAL
DESIGN
THE SUN ALSO SHINES IN THE CITY
Nowadays, renewable energy sources like solar power don't have a prominent spot in the city landscape. Due to a combination of legislative, social, urban, and aesthetic factors, large-scale solar power plants are typically banished to remote areas, far from the public eye.
Why build these installations in untouched wildlife instead of in areas already dominated by urban development? And why not eliminate the need to transport energy over vast distances? The Sun Also Shines in the City questions these conventions and imagines a scenario where - instead of concealing solar power - it takes up a visually prominent spot in the urban fabric. A field of mirrors spread across city rooftops reflects sunlight toward the top of a tower that dominates the skyline. At this focal point, the concentrated sun rays are converted into clean energy through the already established technique of concentrated solar power.
This project elevates solar energy to monumental status and makes it a landmark that confronts citizens with the source of their energy. Could this daily presence lead us to use energy more mindfully? And how can we fundamentally rethink the production of - and our relation with - energy for the better without relapsing into outdated thought patterns?
graduation ● Design Academy Eindhoven