St Kilda Triangle chosen as the site of the Land Art Generator Initiative 2018

St Kilda Triangle chosen as the site of the Land Art Generator Initiative 2018
Laurence DragomirFebruary 8, 2018

One of the world’s more unique International design competitions - The Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) 2018 - has come to Melbourne.

Sponsored by the State Government of Victoria, the competition opened in early January but was officially launched on Saturday, Feb 10th as part of  the Sustainable Living Festival, Melbourne. LAGI 2018 invites teams of artists, architects, designers, scientists, engineers, and others to submit proposals for a large-scale and site-specific public art installation that generates clean energy.

Submissions are due by May 6, 2018.

The competition takes place every two years in a different site around the world, in 2018 the design site is the St Kilda Triangle, which has a colourful history. Previous LAGI cities include Santa Monica, Copenhagen, New York City and Dubai / Abu Dhabi. 

Key project partners include the City of Port Phillip, Federation Square, Carbon Arts and Climarte.

St Kilda Triangle chosen as the site of the Land Art Generator Initiative 2018
Solar Cloud (LAGI 2016) by Gabriel Muñoz Moreno (Social Cooperation Architects). Image : LAGI

Land Art Generator installations are works of public art that:

  • Capture energy from nature and cleanly convert it into electricity
  • Pay back their environmental footprint and construction cost by producing kilowatt-hours of energy that offset existing uses
  • Create a unique experience for the public and stimulate an increase in visitors to the site (power plants as tourist attractions!)
  • Create places for leisure and learning
  • Do not negatively impact the environment
  • Increase livability of communities

Innovators design public artworks that integrate renewable energy technology with the potential to power hundreds of homes, engaging the public in a shared vision of the beauty of our post-carbon future.

Designers and creatives have a critical role to play in the global response to climate change. By bringing art and culture into the development of new energy installations, we can help to bridge the gap between the existing technological solutions and the massive popular movement that is required to invest in their implementation.

-  Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry, LAGI Directors

By thinking creatively about the design of new energy landscapes, and celebrating the beauty of the solar, wind, and other clean power installations that are such an important part of the solution, LAGI is inspiring people everywhere to get behind the great energy transition.

When it comes to renewables, it would be good to have some more input from artists, from creative thinking people, who can show attractive visions. Who can show that to take climate change seriously it not about gloom and doom—it can be a positive vision. It can create beauty. It can create something that all of us would like to be a part of.

- Connie Hedegaard, former European Commissioner for Climate Action, 2014 LAGI design competition in Copenhagen.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning (DELWP), Victoria is setting an example for the world with a goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050. Melbourne, already one of the most sustainable cities in the world, is targeting net-zero by 2020.

The Victoria State Renewable Energy Action Plan outlines the steps that the government is taking to ensure a smooth and equitable transition to a thriving post-carbon economy. LAGI  2018 forms part of that vision within the context of Action 13 - Supporting important artistic and cultural sustainability events.

Following the close dates, multiple public exhibitions, publications, and events will bring the ideas to the public in Melbourne, surrounding cities, and the world.

St Kilda Triangle chosen as the site of the Land Art Generator Initiative 2018
Cetacea (LAGI 2016) by Keegan Oneal, Sean Link, Caitlin Vanhauer, Colin Poranski Image : LAGI

LAGI 2018 Timeline

  • January 5, 2018 - LAGI 2018 competition opens and design guidelines are available
  • April 15 - End of question & answer period. Answers will be posted to the LAGI website.
  • May 6 - Competition closes at 23:59 (11:59 pm) GMT
  • June - Selection & jury process
  • July - Winners & shortlisted participants contacted
  • October - Award ceremony, exhibition, and book launch held at Fed Square in Melbourne, Australia. Satellite exhibitions and workshops will be programmed throughout St Kilda, the City of Port Phillip, and the State of Victoria.

LAGI 2018 Jury Panel

  • Guy Abrahams - CEO & Co-Founder  CLIMARTE
  • Charles Anderson -  Senior Lecturer, Landscape Architecture, RMIT University | Director, CAStudios / SAALA
  • David Brand - City of Port Phillip Councillor | Architect
  • Elizabeth Corr - NRDC Manager, Art Partnerships & Events, Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Simon Corbell - Victorian Renewable Energy Advocate
  • William L. Fox - Director, Center for Art + Environment, Nevada Museum of Art
  • Jill Garner - Victorian Government Architect
  • Dr Beatriz Cristina Maturana - Founder of Architects for Peace | Academic Director at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Chile
  • Kim Herforth Nielsen - Founder and Creative Director, 3XN Architects
  • Sharon Pollard - General Manager Operations, Federation Square
  • Martijn Wilder AM - Partner, Baker & McKenzie

Prizes

  • FIRST PLACE - submission  will be awarded $16,000 USD
  • SECOND PLACE submission will be awarded $5,000 USD

One representative of the first and second place winning teams will be flown to Melbourne, Australia for the award ceremony and exhibition opening.

Links:
http://landartgenerator.org/competition2018.html

Lead Image: 'Beyond the Wave'  by Heerim Architects & Planners

Laurence Dragomir

Laurence Dragomir is one of the co-founders of Urban Melbourne. Laurence has developed a wealth of knowledge and experience working in both the private and public sector specialising in architecture, urban design and planning. He also has a keen interest in the built environment, cities and Star Wars.

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