PHOTOSYNTHESIS: A TREE OF SOLAR PANELS AT SALONE DEL MOBILE 2012

Photosynthesis by Akihisa Hirata Photo by Santi Caleca

By KAYLA TASCHEN
This year at the Milan, Italy’s Salone del Mobile, a wide and dynamic installation at the Milano University courtyard became one of the main features at the annual international design event: Photosynthesis.

The “solar tree,”as described by architect, Akihisa Hirata, is sponsored by the Japanese consumer electronics corporation, Panasonic.  The piece is a 3D installation of storage batteries, LEDs and OLEDs, photovoltaic cells floating on clear polycarbonate panels—representing what-would-be leaves—diverse from the usual horizontal solar panels that normally come in flat turf or moss form.

Photosynthesis, perhaps represents the developing philosophy that designers of today must consider as a prerequisite to come up with solutions to impending design obstacles and needs—the big elephant in the room being: the human responsibility to conserve the earth and thereby, energy.  Have a watch at more illustrations below, plus an interview with the Japanese architect, Hirata. 

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