WindNest Design Charrettes

Gregory Reed (Director) and Brandon Grainger (Research Professor) from the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering provide guidance on the options for establishing a DC microgrid to bring power from the WindNest artwork to the PNC Carousel.

WindNest workshop at the YMCA Hilltop

LAGI Art + Energy creative activities teach kids the science behind sustainable energy generation and allow then to imagine the future.

What if artists used renewable energy technologies as the medium for new public artwork? What if engineers thought about creative applications for their inventions?

Workshop Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of art outside of the gallery

2. Increase energy literacy and awareness of how energy is generated and consumed

3. Learn about different types of energy generation technologies and the different ways that energy can be harnessed from natural and renewable resources

4. Understand the difference between peak (nameplate) capacity and productive output for different renewable energy technologies

5. Understand past LAGI submissions and the ideas behind their designs in relation to technology, art, engineering concepts

6. Design artistic forms which integrate renewable energy technologies

WindNest Design Charrettes

WindNest is thankful to have the support of local stakeholders such as Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the University of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museums, Oakland Business Improvement District, City Council Member Dan Gilman's Office, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation.

Presentations at each stage of the design process to stakeholders have been facilitated by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy who maintains Schenley Plaza on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh. WindNest has been designed specifically for the dedicated public art area within the plaza at the invitation of the Parks Conservancy.

Special thanks goes to Susan Rademacher, Heather Sage, and Kate Freed at the Parks Conservancy whose kind support and guidance have made it possible to bring WindNest to Pittsburgh.

Art+Energy Flash Cards are utilized in the LAGI WindNest workshops

The Land Art Generator Initiative Art+Energy Flash Cards are designed to strengthen the pragmatic problem solving skills needed to address solutions for 21st century energy challenges by offering an engaging tool for science education. They highlight real world applications of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) objectives and teach about the importance of sustainability in design.

Science, technology, engineering, design, and art all come together in this kit. The images on the front of each card represent ideas for large-scale works of public art that generate utility-scale clean electricity for cities. These artful power plants are designed to be safe to the natural environment, not create pollution, to generate energy for up to thousands of homes, and to make our public spaces more enjoyable.

Using land art generator proposals from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 LAGI design competitions, the cards take the user through the process of estimating the amount of electricity that each artwork is capable of generating in one year based on a number of criteria, such as the nameplate capacity of the technologies employed and the capacity factor of the installation itself (a product of site conditions).

Art+Energy Flash Cards are utilized in the LAGI WindNest workshops

The Land Art Generator Initiative Art+Energy Flash Cards are designed to strengthen the pragmatic problem solving skills needed to address solutions for 21st century energy challenges by offering an engaging tool for science education. They highlight real world applications of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) objectives and teach about the importance of sustainability in design.

Science, technology, engineering, design, and art all come together in this kit. The images on the front of each card represent ideas for large-scale works of public art that generate utility-scale clean electricity for cities. These artful power plants are designed to be safe to the natural environment, not create pollution, to generate energy for up to thousands of homes, and to make our public spaces more enjoyable.

Using land art generator proposals from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 LAGI design competitions, the cards take the user through the process of estimating the amount of electricity that each artwork is capable of generating in one year based on a number of criteria, such as the nameplate capacity of the technologies employed and the capacity factor of the installation itself (a product of site conditions).

WindNest workshop for 4th graders at Manchester Youth Development Center in Pittsburgh

After considering the site, form, scale, technology, and materials, youth create models of their ideas for renewable energy sculptures for Schenley Plaza in Pittsburgh. This artwork is designed to provide electricity to the park.

Workshop Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of art outside of the gallery

2. Increase energy literacy and awareness of how energy is generated and consumed

3. Learn about different types of energy generation technologies and the different ways that energy can be harnessed from natural and renewable resources

4. Understand the difference between peak (nameplate) capacity and productive output for different renewable energy technologies

5. Understand past LAGI submissions and the ideas behind their designs in relation to technology, art, engineering concepts

6. Design artistic forms which integrate renewable energy technologies

During a WindNest workshop at the YMCA Hilltop

Youth share their ideas of what art can be.

Workshop Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of art outside of the gallery

2. Increase energy literacy and awareness of how energy is generated and consumed

3. Learn about different types of energy generation technologies and the different ways that energy can be harnessed from natural and renewable resources

4. Understand the difference between peak (nameplate) capacity and productive output for different renewable energy technologies

5. Understand past LAGI submissions and the ideas behind their designs in relation to technology, art, engineering concepts

6. Design artistic forms which integrate renewable energy technologies

Youth share their new knowledge of renewable energy technologies at Manchester Youth Development Center in Pittsburgh

Workshop Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of art outside of the gallery

2. Increase energy literacy and awareness of how energy is generated and consumed

3. Learn about different types of energy generation technologies and the different ways that energy can be harnessed from natural and renewable resources

4. Understand the difference between peak (nameplate) capacity and productive output for different renewable energy technologies

5. Understand past LAGI submissions and the ideas behind their designs in relation to technology, art, engineering concepts

6. Design artistic forms which integrate renewable energy technologies