Accumulator Gothenburg
with Håkon Fånes & Bin Jia
An accumulator acquires meaning and value because it gives something back to the city. The new shell follows suit. The facade celebrates the function of the accumulator by representing it in urban space. By showing accumulator activity in the facade, the cladding gives back to the citizens of the city. The facade gains significance because it also has a function. Lighting turns sustainability into a measurable quantity. As a clock keeps track of the time, the accumulator helps Gothenburg monitor its sustainability.
Bands of LED lights light up according to how much activity is taking place in the accumulator. A rotating LED display crown celebrate the accomplishments of the tank by showing:
Current accumulator capacity - in MW
Cooling output - MW of cooling delivered in real time
Cooling consumption - Last week’s consumption in MW
Savings - Reduced costs in kSEK/MSEK
CO2 savings - Reduced CO2 emissions in m³/km³
Water consumption - Amount of water in m³/km³
Greenhouse gas target - Accumulator’s contribution to climate goals
The site of the storage tank is a spatial remnant of the industrialization of society. An important aspect of this period is the explosion of instruments for measuring meaningful quantities. Measuring time, weight and speed with precision has been fundamental to things we take for granted today. In the transition to a sustainable society, we believe that new quantities must be elevated and communicated in public space. What is displayed in public reveals our values. The cooler activity in the accumulator should be illustrated.
