Project task: To design a city of science in Tono in the Gifu Region in Japan, where investigations should be made as to how the human race can survive under extreme living conditions. The task includes questions as to how a city with this challenge should present itself to the world and how attractive and liveable such a city can be designed.
The idea is based on the theory that such a one-sided concentration on nothing but science prevents the complexity needed for the creation of a lively city. Science = Invention, creativity, production, "Brains". The required opposite pole: Entertainment, relaxation, consumption, "stomach", in other words tourism. Consumption should be absolutely clean to prevent it from causing a guilty conscience. This means the usage of regenerative energies to meet 100 % of the energy requirements. This results in two demands on the production of regenerative energies: It must be comprehensive (scientific challenge). It must not only be aesthetically convincing, but even be an attraction (tourism challenging). These goals can be met by using solar collectors, PV, wind turbines and wood heating systems in combination with spectacular architecture and landscape architecture design.
Team: The project was developed in an interdisciplinary team. Schmidt and Kunzemann Architects, Office for Solar Energy Prof. Stahl, the graphic design agency of Harriet Corcodel.
Award: The contribution won 2nd prize in the international competition. The work was awarded the Weissenhof Prize under the category City Construction as Marketing.
