Urban tree is nothing but a technology inspired by nature. A tree shaped structure that serves multiple purposes on urban street. Designers are finding inspirations from nature to develop technology for our daily requirement. Spanish designer and architect, Xabier Perez de Arenaza, has taken inspiration from the real tree to solve urban street lighting needs. Xabier’s composition is truly an imitation of parts and functions of a real tree standing at cross roads. Fed by solar energy this tree will work as traffic signal, night lighting, temperature display and also clock, placed right at the required junctions.
Driven by eco friendly motive, the designer has tried to integrate various street functions into one. Solar panels, in the form of leaves of the tree, facing the sunlight generate electricity. The trunk of the tree stores the generated power while branches have been assigned specific jobs like signaling, temperature and time display and street lighting during nights. Each branch will work as per assignment and in this way a single structure placed on the street will perform multiple roles.
Based on solar power technology, photovoltaic (PV) directly convert the sunlight into electricity by photoelectric effect. The entire structure is based on solar power, making the design eco sustainable and completely self sufficient. This will not just save fossil fuel generated power but also reduce commotion on the street.
The young, upcoming architect Xabier proposes to combine renewable energy into one, in order to make it easily transferable as well as economically viable. This integrated system can be transported and installed easily. At the same time the cost of production as well as running the system is cheap as it is based on solar power and also self reliant.
Urban Tree, ecological design proposal was one of the finalists in the design competition organized by the solar cluster association of Nevarre, held on October 2010. The cluster comprising of 12 renewable energy companies is promoting solar energy based design.
Efforts are on to promote such futuristic designs, so that dependency on non renewable sources like, coal and petroleum can be reduced. Solar, wind, and hydro powers are becoming increasingly viable alternative energy sources as they are perennial, renewable, and ecologically healthy. This design ensures one such option for time to come. Architect, Xabier’s urban tree is futuristic as well as ecologically self sufficient and promises great scope for innovations of tomorrow. Thus, his effort has to be appreciated and promoted.
Via: Behance
