The Clear Orb : Land Art Generator Initiative(LAGI) 2016

Three main points considered for the design were, efficient energy productability, aesthetic harmony between the object and surrounding nature, and providing useful functions to tourists as a public structure. As the design site is suffering from drought every year, the Orb was designed to be able to produce fresh water from sea water as well as producing eco-friendly energy. With the name of 'The Clear Orb', solar seawater desalination, sunlight generation, and wave-power generation technology were applied to the design considering the site's environment that has abundant of solar radiation quantity and wave power. Shape of the orb enabled the solar energy to the object regardless the location of the sun, and the path from the seashore to the sphere which is called contemplation walk was designed along to the exiting breakwater to utilize the existing structure and harvest energy through wave-power.

Simple and symbolic mass was applied to the design not to block the ocean view and to remove the sense of unfamiliarity of the enormous object. Therefore the main structure was designed into huge sole structure and the lower structure was located under the sea level to make the sphere adjoin the surface of the sea and create the perfect orb. The entrance space of the contemplation walk where the wave-power generator is installed was designed to the shape that is slanted from above the surface to below the surface. The narrow, long entry down from the surface of the water creates a heavy, quiet atmosphere, so visitors can reflect on the destruction of the environment themselves. On the contrary, the sphere which is the final destination, was designed as the part where energy and water are generated, consisted of vibrant square with hopeful atmosphere. To avoid the monotonous design and create a positive atmosphere, the bottom of the sphere was finished with reflective material. Also, to let the visitors understand the solar seawater desalination function of the structure intuitively, the water generated from the upper part flows down to the lower support structure. This design was an example of the design of a structure that can both become an artwork and a public facility at the same time as a power generation and seawater desalination facility on the sea in front of Santa Monica's tourist destination. The main symbolic spherical structure produces about 2,250 tons of fresh water and 120MWh of electricity per year, and the passage with the wave-power generator produces about 3,700MWh of electricity per year. This design plan has been selected within the top 25 out of more than 200 submissions from 50 countries and is introduced on various exhibition, architecture, and design websites.