Symposium

Solar Collector
Matt Gorbet, Susan Gorbet, Rob Gorbet
Gorbet Design, Inc.
http://www.gorbetdesign.com/

Summary
Solar Collector is an interactive outdoor steel and light sculpture. Bringing together the art of large-scale public sculpture, the science of cutting-edge solar power generation and the natural periodic motion of the Earth, the sculpture also responds to its viewers by dynamically incorporating their online creative input.

Twelve steel shafts rise from a hillock outside the Regional Municipality of Waterloo’s EMS facility, projecting out of the grass at successively sharper angles. The tallest shaft is 10 metres tall and each successive shaft is shorter as they sweep around down the slope of the hill. The angle of each shaft is set according to the solar zenith angle at biweekly intervals between the winter and summer solstices. Photovoltaic cells are affixed to the south-facing surface of each shaft, and each shaft incorporates three sets of lamps. As the sun sets, Solar Collector comes to life with light and a performance of undulating waves and patterns begins.

The movement of the sun through the sky and its impact on the seasons, as described by sine waves, informs the physical form of the piece as well as its interactivity: Solar Collector allows people to create light compositions using sine waves, much as analog music synthesizers overlay raw analog wave patterns to create music. Powered only by the sunlight it gathers, the piece never behaves in exactly the same way from day to day. Its nightly performances are influenced by the changing seasons as well as the changing input from the community. The result is a dynamic, graceful telematic sculpture, born as much from scientific measurement and technical engineering as from an artistic interpretation of the site and its themes.

Biography

About Gorbet Design, Inc.

As both artists and designers, our mission is to enhance people's experience of public spaces through the creative application of technology. With innovative physical interaction techniques, we add surprise and delight to places like retail stores, hotels, museums and outdoor spaces.

We combine our backgrounds in psychology, computer science, electronics and architecture to create robust and meaningful interactive works. By marrying inspired design with strong research and deep technical knowledge, we add magic to the built environment.