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Of UFOs and Wind Farms
Posted by: Keech on 8th Jan 2009 in Creative Report
I read with interest on the BBC News website that a 20 metre high wind turbine in Conisholme, Lincolnshire may have been the victim of a UFO attack.
The turbine has been badly damaged, and the culprit, so far, remains a total mystery, despite extensive investigations by the site owners, Ecotricity.
The BBC says that County councillor for the area Robert Palmer said he had seen a "round, white light that seemed to be hovering", and local UFO enthusiasts say there has been a lot of activity in the area of late.
Could there possibly be a design angle on this?
Of course there could.
That looks to me like a wind turbine designed by none other than Norman Foster. You probably think that wind turbines are clumsy, often ugly pieces of engineering; a necessity rather than an object of beauty. That's because they often are.
Apart from one. Foster and Partners designed this one in partnership with Enercon GmbH between 1993 and 1995. Look more closely and you will see that it certainly is a thing of elegance and sophistication. Very different from the usual shoe box on a stick with a propeller stuck on the front. And that sleek looking nacelle hides some slick thinking too. If you need proof of that go to Foster's description of it.
During my time at Fosters I worked closely with the lead designer on this project, Kevin Carrucan. In fact I once helped him to model the turbine blades, which we carved, by hand and at scale out of solid chemi-wood.
Carrucan (now in Australia) is one of the most gifted designers I've ever had the pleasure of working with and I know for a fact that he left no stone unturned in his quest for an optimum design solution for the wind turbine. Every detail, radius and surface transition was considered, including precisely which shade of grey would be most harmonious in the environmental context.
So was it a UFO that damaged this one? Who knows? But surely those uncultured aliens could have chosen an uglier example to vandalize?
And next time you pass a wind farm, have a closer look to see if it contains design classics.
Posted by: Keech on 8th Jan 2009 in Creative Report
I read with interest on the BBC News website that a 20 metre high wind turbine in Conisholme, Lincolnshire may have been the victim of a UFO attack.
The turbine has been badly damaged, and the culprit, so far, remains a total mystery, despite extensive investigations by the site owners, Ecotricity.
The BBC says that County councillor for the area Robert Palmer said he had seen a "round, white light that seemed to be hovering", and local UFO enthusiasts say there has been a lot of activity in the area of late.
Could there possibly be a design angle on this?
Of course there could.
That looks to me like a wind turbine designed by none other than Norman Foster. You probably think that wind turbines are clumsy, often ugly pieces of engineering; a necessity rather than an object of beauty. That's because they often are.
Apart from one. Foster and Partners designed this one in partnership with Enercon GmbH between 1993 and 1995. Look more closely and you will see that it certainly is a thing of elegance and sophistication. Very different from the usual shoe box on a stick with a propeller stuck on the front. And that sleek looking nacelle hides some slick thinking too. If you need proof of that go to Foster's description of it.
During my time at Fosters I worked closely with the lead designer on this project, Kevin Carrucan. In fact I once helped him to model the turbine blades, which we carved, by hand and at scale out of solid chemi-wood.
Carrucan (now in Australia) is one of the most gifted designers I've ever had the pleasure of working with and I know for a fact that he left no stone unturned in his quest for an optimum design solution for the wind turbine. Every detail, radius and surface transition was considered, including precisely which shade of grey would be most harmonious in the environmental context.
So was it a UFO that damaged this one? Who knows? But surely those uncultured aliens could have chosen an uglier example to vandalize?
And next time you pass a wind farm, have a closer look to see if it contains design classics.
Comments
Posted by Andrew Collins on 14th Jan 2009 12:54 PM
Yes, but who designed the UFO?
Yes, but who designed the UFO?
Posted by Keech on 15th Jan 2009 05:15 PM
That's a good question Andrew, but don't get me started. The best designed UFOs were of course those found in the 1970s British science fiction TV series, aptly named UFO.
Created by Gerry & Sylvia Anderson and starring Ed Bishop as Commander Straker the show was simply riddled with design icons such as the Moonbase Interceptors and SHADO vehicles. The UFOs themselves were great too. For an instant trip down memory lane and an instant lesson in how to design cool-looking stuff have a look here:
http://ufoseries.com/photos/hardware.html
That's a good question Andrew, but don't get me started. The best designed UFOs were of course those found in the 1970s British science fiction TV series, aptly named UFO.
Created by Gerry & Sylvia Anderson and starring Ed Bishop as Commander Straker the show was simply riddled with design icons such as the Moonbase Interceptors and SHADO vehicles. The UFOs themselves were great too. For an instant trip down memory lane and an instant lesson in how to design cool-looking stuff have a look here:
http://ufoseries.com/photos/hardware.html
Posted by James johnson on 15th Jan 2009 06:00 PM
If we are talking Jerry & Sylvia Anderson I prefer Space 1999, nothing like the close up shot of the landing pads of Eagle One compressing as it lands on Moon Base Alpha.
If we are talking Jerry & Sylvia Anderson I prefer Space 1999, nothing like the close up shot of the landing pads of Eagle One compressing as it lands on Moon Base Alpha.
