The Nest is a modular research and innovation building on the campus of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) in Dübendorf, Switzerland, just outside Zurich. Here, new technologies, materials and systems are tested and further developed under real conditions. One of these technologies will be added in the next few months. For part of the façade will be covered with printed solar modules.
Design competition
To find the right design, Empa held a competition. During a two-week workshop on the Empa campus, students from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) created surfaces for photovoltaic modules as design objects for the facade of the Nest. These designs simulate the actual solar modules. This is because they are printed with the graphic designs of the winning design and integrated into the facade of the Nest. The central criterion was that the design should visually integrate into the research and innovation building.
Design to be implemented this year
In the opinion of the six-member jury, Lynn Balli succeeded best. In her design entitled "Glasklar" (‘As clear as glass’), she combined eight individual works of art, elegantly emphasising the dynamics of glass, as the jury explained their decision. The winning design was awarded a prize in an online event. In the next step, modules with this design will be printed and integrated into the facade of the Nest later this year.
See also: IEA SHC publishes product gallery for the solar building envelope
Beforehand, the participants of this event could also choose their favourite. The audience chose the design by Florence Schöb. With her design entitled "Vernetzt" (‘Networked’), she implemented a curved and lively structure of different coloured lines. (su/mfo)
