VEN-ICE

WINNER of Open Source Biennale

+ WINNER

Open Source Biennale

[13062]

VEN-ICE

Team

Name: Zhong Yicen

Nationality: China

Institution / Company: CSWADI

Name: Chen Siyu

Nationality: China

Institution / Company: CSWADI

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VEN-ICE is an installation that overlays the direct victims of global warming – glaciers and the indirect victims – Venice. In a dramatic way, while addressing the periodic flooding problem in Venice, it awakens people’s awareness of global warming and becomes a landmark to remind people of climate change.

The V is volume, we take the volume of global glacier melting per minute as the volume of the VEN-ICE, which allows people to intuitively feel the speed of global glacier melting.

The E is energy, we applied bioluminescence technology to VEN-ICE and chose noctiluca scintillans as the light source. After being exposed to sunlight during the day, bioluminescent algae can replace electric lights to illuminate the square at night.

The N is need, which refers to the periodic floods caused by rising sea levels in Venice. We have designed a “diving bell” using membrane materials, which can protect the square from being submerged when the internal pressure is higher than the external pressure.

The ICE is the form of the iceberg, which is an icon that constantly reminds people that the climate change is happening. This may be the answer to the current flood and global warming problems.

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Jury Comments

– [Hamidreza Khademi] Creative concept addressing climate change. The use of bioluminescence technology is innovative. However, the “diving bell” design poses significant engineering challenges, impacting feasibility. Interactivity could be enhanced.

– [Nichola V. Barrington-Leach] Interesting conceptual idea which is also well represented. The feasibility is unclear but covering the city would an exciting installation.

– [Olli Andrew] A great creative idea, I like the symbolism with climate change, this would be amazing installation.