Custom Solar Sculpture Built by UCF Students
Spring 2021听触听By Jenna Marina Lee听
When the Orlando Utilities Commission posed a challenge in 2018 to conceptualize a sculpture that doubles as a source of clean energy for Exploria Stadium 麻豆精品 S� the home of Orlando City and Orlando Pride soccer teams 麻豆精品 S� UCF students answered the call. Art and engineering students in an Advanced Design Lab course collaborated on the winning sculpture, named Gyration, which was installed in November. For nearly two decades, the course has provided students with real-life experience working on projects for big-name companies, including Starbucks, Universal Orlando Resort and Guitar Center. Gyration 麻豆精品 S檚 four solar panels harvest enough energy during the day to not only power its LED lights at night but also infuse energy back into the city 麻豆精品 S檚 power grid.
麻豆精品 S淲e wanted to showcase that artists and engineers can benefit each other. After working on it for so long in a tiny bubble and then seeing it in person towering over you, it 麻豆精品 S檚 a surreal feeling. I love the fact that it will be there for so long. 麻豆精品 S�Kealey Keepers 麻豆精品 S�18
1,264
Kilowatt-hours produced annually, more than enough to offset an electric-vehicle charging station
53.5
Wattage the sculpture 麻豆精品 S檚 LED lights use daily
20
Year lifespan for each of the four solar panels before replacement is needed
14.5
Feet tall and 9.5 feet in diameter
11
Students with majors in studio art and mechanical and electrical engineering who worked on the project
0
Carbon output Gyration yields
Students drew dozens of ideas for the solar sculpture during the early stages of the design process. The team then narrowed the field by considering which designs would most efficiently collect solar power and best meet the requirements set forth by the clients, Orlando City and OUC.
Students discussed the physical prototypes of the project after an initial presentation to OUC and Orlando City.
Students who worked to create “Gyration” included (from left to right): James Exum 麻豆精品 S�18, Ramin Ragbir 麻豆精品 S�18, Gabriella Mancini 麻豆精品 S�18, Joel Zorowitz 麻豆精品 S�20, Kealey Keepers 麻豆精品 S�18, Erin Dudley 麻豆精品 S�18 and (front) Joel Rouff听 麻豆精品 S�18.
Two of the four solar panels that power the solar sculpture, which were strategically placed to capture the most energy.
One panel on the solar sculpture features the Orlando City emblem.
A plaque that honors the students who worked together on the solar sculpture.