Simone Giostra & Partners Architects created a groundbreaking, solar-powered sun-shading media wall system for Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum’s Triennial.
SolPix, Energy-Positive Media Skin, is positioned at the convergence of technology, design, and the environment. It’s a full-scale working prototype that demonstrates an ability to interact with the environment while improving the energy performance of the Museum.
SolPix features a large-scale color LED display and photovoltaic panels integrated to a sun-shading system, transforming the existing glass structure into an energy-positive envelope. SolPix harvess solar energy and uses it to power the screen while protecting from excessive solar radiation.
“SolPix will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by new developments or existing buildings, providing a proportion of their energy from on-site renewables, potentially transforming entire cities into energy-positive infrastructures”, says Simone Giostra of Simone Giostra & Partners Architect, who was involved in the project.
SolPix will constantly monitor its own performance using embedded, custom-designed software that visually displays the energy balance of the system, using an algorithm to generate motion graphics and transforming the installation into a responsive environment for entertainment and public engagement.
It allows daylight in while controlling exposure to direct sunlight, reducing heat gain and transforming excessive solar radiation into energy for the media wall. When applied to exteriors, the sun-shading elements provide unobstructed outside views from the building interior while lending a contemporary texture to the building exterior. The horizontal or vertical panels can be mounted at a preferred angle or be rotated to maximize exposure to direct sunlight. Additionally, SolPix is a transparent media wall with digital screen capabilities for dynamic content display. The panels can be used to create stunning media effects on very large building envelopes that are viewable from inside and outside the building.