Throughout history World Exhibitions have been events
which showed latest inventions in technology alongside the latest expressions
of art. From this perspective, the Air Tree emerges as an experimental prototype
of intervention in contemporary urban public space, capable of reactivating
sites and creating the conditions to empower the use of the collective space.
It is conceived as a technological urban furniture, a self-sufficient climatic
comfort generator, that is being used not only as a breathing space but as well
interactively.
The Air Tree with its different technical layers
supports multiple final configurations and a myriad of intermediate positions
(opaque, translucent, transparent, bright, interactive, open, etc.). Different
textiles for video projections allow an unlimited combination of scenarios
adaptable to citizen needs. Its appearance can be transformed over the daily
cycle, as well as monthly all through the year. By sensors it is connected in real-time
with the climatic conditions of Shanghai, constantly adopting the optimal
physical configuration and energy consumption to generate climatic comfort for
the citizens.
Ventilation inside the Air Tree is provided through a
big fan of 7.3 m diameter, suspended by a tensegrity structure in the center of
the space, at a height of 11.5 m. Through a telescopic system the fan can be lowered
several meters to be located closer to the people. The exact position and speed
at each moment is determined according to the climatic conditions of the
environment that are monitored continuously in the surroundings of the
structure.