orientation
written by Joel , November 23, 2007

Odd that the dish doesn't point to the sun. From the images shown, it would seem that the sunlight is being collected into a wide ellipsoid hanging in space above and to the left of the building. It looks like the reflectors can be moved, but they don't seem to have been rotated since high noon, and the building doesn't seem to have been built with any tip-of-the-hat to the effects of lattitude.

functions
written by Daniel Bell , November 24, 2007

I guess those ellipsoids are mirrors that point the sun back at central PVs. But the pic doesn't show a diff. color for the PVs so that's why its confusing. (I assume)
The idea of catching rainwater in those same mirrors is the real innovation here. And the design employs good old fashioned mixed use planning. Are there other ways we can integrate rainwater storage with solar power?

...
written by Ken Roberts , November 25, 2007

I don't understand this design. Why is the base of the tower important? Couldn't you just sit the top half directly onto the ground?

Ken, part of the need for elevation is t
written by Webster , November 25, 2007

so ideally those mirrors would at times be below where they connect to the tower. As for the pavilion part of it, I imagine that it would make this something that could sit at the north (or south, depending on your relationship to the equator) end of a park or other public commons without monopolizing the space.

An interview call
written by Radhika , July 09, 2008

Hi Michael,

Design can be as complicated as rocket science and as simple as the elements, and that's what prompted me to have your views on a few things aesthetic.

We highly appreciate your designs. We even published about the Solar Tower dish concept of yours in one of our blogs called the design blog. Your designs have an element of sophistication and are absolutely unique!

My name is Radhika and I'm associated with Instablogs News Network - an interactive platform reaching to over 2.5 million trans-continental audience each month.

It would be an honor for us to showcase you in person on our network. Therefore, I'd like to Interview you for one of our niche blogs.

We can get in touch and carry on with the interview out of any of these modes possible - Skype, Email or any online chat messenger; we normally use GTalk.

Please let me know your views and consent so that I can send you the questions or move ahead with the interview via the mode that suits you the best.

A few of our major blogs:

Thedesignblog.org
Ecofriend.org
Automotto.org
Gizmowatch.com
Coolbuzz.org
Bornrich.org

Waiting for your reply,

Radhika
Editor
Instablogs News Network
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