Competition Entry, 2020
VISION
In 2020, climbing a light tower for expansive vistas over a cityscape is no longer the novelty that it once was. The New Urban Confluence Light Tower will stand out from its predecessors; its elegant and slender form shifting the attention from the city’s skyline back to civic space below where transformation takes place. Put simply, a design that echoes the culture of San José: a city built on ground-up innovation.
360-DEGREE VIEWS
Everyone with a smartphone will have access to 360-degree views from The New Urban Confluence Tower. Furthermore, these views will be layered with augmented reality displays providing information on the resident companies and organizations’ progress towards their renewable energy and energy-conservation targets.
The tower itself will provide real-world feedback on that progress, as excess renewable electricity is channelled into a filigree of lights spiralling the tower’s height. This unique lighting design in motion will serve as a progress meter for San José and, in time, with a fully-lit beacon as the example San José sets for a world moving toward a greener future.
STRUCTURE
The tower’s hybrid structure will consist of timber and steel in order to achieve harmony within its natural surroundings and to minimize its overall carbon footprint. Timber glulam members with steel connections at the core will be reinforced with steel cables wrapping in the counter direction. This slender tubular structure without any live-loads will house a series of wind turbines to provide the energy for achieving a ‘net-zero’ design. Excess energy from the city grid will power the lighting design following the steel cables.
GROUND
The New Urban Confluence Light Tower will touch down lightly towards the south-western corner of the park without harming any existing trees. Taking advantage of San José’s suitable weather, the base of the tower will be an accessible amphitheatre providing space for people from diverse backgrounds to engage in discussions, performances and demonstrations. By uniting present realities with a literally brighter future, this design will cultivate San José’s civic pride and set an example for communities around the world.