Global Warming Project

Structural Representation of Global Warming
Global Warming Structure Project Goals:
To create a public sculpture (site TBA) that will be aesthetic, educational, sustainable, and last for 200 years. I want to create an architectural structure that serves as an interactive location for aesthetic viewing and educational discussion. I would like to create and additional level to this structure that would make it useful to the surrounding communities by making its permanence important by having it serve as a resource for a natural disaster or local catastrophe.

Structure parts:

Seascape. A poly-glass room with double-glassed walls. The walls will contain visible water from city run-offs and rain gathering that will demonstrate the melting of the polar ice caps and rise of the sea level. On the walls indication a measure grid will make the year and level apparent to the viewer. Measurements will appear every five years. Inside the room will be a global structure that will map changes in terrain globally as an effect of global warming. The globe will be programmable using LED’s and a real-time data source.

Although the water in the runoff will be released according to change in sea levels, most of the water will be stored near an offsite location. The reason for this is the stored water will also be circulated through a purification system using solar energy and models used for light purification bags for potable water in developing nations. This water source will serve as a site for a water resource in case of a natural disaster.

Biodome. This second structure will be created to demonstrate the green house effect. This transparent poly-glass structure will also be interactive with self-sustaining flora and fauna. The vegetation will have to be maintained throughout its life span. Inside this dome structure will be a marble throne giving an iconic material to an impermanent environment. An individual will be able to sit in this throne to gain a human perspective on their role in the development of green house gasses. This project will be initiating a sense of responsibility and guilt from the participant.

The vegetation in the bio dome will be both edible and medicinal. The sustainable system incorporated into the design will be a food and medicine supply source in case of a natural disaster.

The Light Box. The third part of this structure is a light box that will be approximately 1000 square feet in size and is positioned underneath the ground near the Seascape and Biodome. Inside this room will be a light that encompasses an entire wall. This visual will display a “Terra Alert” system similar to today’s “Terror Alert”. The colors will change according to Urban Heat Pockets around the city of San Jose. The viewer will have the capability of going underground and only knowing about what is happening in the world according to this color. Although it may be a magical experience it can also seem doomful and lonely.

This underground safe room will also serve as a living location in case of a natural disaster or catastrophe. The structure of it will be able to sustain an earthquake and nuclear accident. Although it will be waterproof, oxygen generated from the biodome will be filtered into the Light Box. The residents of the light box may know if its safe once the light changes back to a normal color.