Guidelines
Please read these guidelines
(and ADDENDUM)
carefully in order to create and submit a proposal that is appropriate for the scope of the project and that meets the design criteria set forth for the selection process. Additionally, drawings, photos and diagrams of the two sites are included, however, we highly recommend that you attend one of the site visit meetings. First, the two separate projects will be described followed by a description of the proposal format and process. |
 Project #1: A Lightwork
SITE: The Tower
COMMISSION: $70,000
Click on the image for more photos and drawings of the site
DESIGN CRITERIA
Design, fabrication and installation of a unique lightwork or lighting system for the tower at LSC that will be visible from both the inside and the outside of the building during the evening hours (6 pm - midnight, depending on the season).
More specifically:
- This lightwork should become a distinguished "beacon" in the evening sky. The tower is visible from long stretches of the New Jersey Turnpike, from boats in the New York Harbor, and from Battery Park City which is located one-mile directly across the Hudson River.
- The lightwork must be "visible" from all directions (north, south, east, west).
- This work can utilize any type of lighting: projectors, fiber optics, floods, etc, with two stipulations:
a) they be "off-the-shelf" rather than "custom-designed" components;
b) the lighting system may NOT require more than a total of 2.5 kW. This is the TOTAL that the solar cell/battery array can handle (providing three and 3/4hrs. of solar energy) and you must work within this guideline.
After running the lightwork for 3-4 hrs. off the stored energy in the battery arrays, the balance of the night hours of illumination will come from "the grid" (normal electricity in the building).
- The utilization of the different power sources must be visually illustrated within the design of the lightwork.
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Because water is not accessible in the tower, use of lasers is not feasible.
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The design shall incorporate a manual "OFF/ON" with an "automatic re-set" so that LSC staff may control usage of the work.
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LSC/GPU Energy will facilitate the arrangements for installation of the solar cell battery array and hook-up to your connection in the tower. The artist will not be responsible for these costs: solar cells, batteries, converters, and their installation.
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The lightwork must be designed to be easily maintained, including bulb replacement that requires NO use of ladders by an LSC staff person, nor an outside consultant.
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All fabrication will be of museum quality and all exposed surfaces within normal reach are to be of rigid and durable materials. Additionally, precaution is to be taken to eliminate sharp corners, projections, pinch points, trip hazards, electrical shock, etc.
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Only long-lasting lighting components and bulbs (UL approved only), and lighting systems may be specified.
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Aesthetic design, if symbolic, should somehow reflect a theme such as: the sun, renewable energy, light, science, discovery, invention, energy, etc.
DESCRIPTION OF SITE
The Tower presents some challenging design constraints that must be taken into consideration in any lightwork designed for it:
A 150 ft. tall clearstory tower that supports a pyramidal glass roof. The tower is divided into two levels: an Observation Room located in the top portion that includes the clearstory pyramid which begins 13 ft. from the floor; and the 71 ft. tall bottom portion room that is accessed from the Third Floor of the museum. The facade of the tower faces Liberty State Park with Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in clear view beyond in the Hudson River.
The pyramidal glass roof of the tower can only support a maximum of 8lbs/sqft. of load associated with any and all lighting or lighting related hardware added to the structure. Your design specs would have to provide all given weights.
There is an unusual floor "cutout" (lexan floor panel, 46" by 46" square) in the center of the Observation Room's floor. This clear floor panel allows light and vision to pass from the bottom of the tower (on the third floor) through the Observation Room to the apex of the clearstory pyramidal roof.
One could build an unobtrusive support structure that would rest on the Observation Room floor in the tower. This floor can sustain 100 lbs. per square feet (same for the third floor tower level.)
However, since the interior space of the Observation Room is used for private parties and public events, nothing can take-up any significant portion of this space or be aesthetically unpleasant.
On each of the north, east and south sides of the Observation Room, there is a row of 8 picture windows that begins 6 inches off the floor. On each side, the 4 center windows measure 52 inches wide and 78 inches high; they are flanked by two windows on either side each measuring 44 inches wide by 78 inches high. These windows surround the Observation Room except in the corners. On the west-facing side, behind the elevator, a row of picture windows curve inward; four windows in this bay measure 71.5 inches wide by 54 inches high and a fifth flanking the west side measures 50.5 inches wide by 54 inches high. They begin 3 ft. off the floor and face north and west towards New Jersey. A couple hundred yards away, as the crow flies, is the New Jersey Turnpike travelling in a north-south direction.
Surrounding the inside of the Observation Room, there is a built-out sheet-rock upper wall area that houses the HVAC & electric systems and is located between the top of the room's windows and the base of the pyramid. The built-out area rises 2 ft. and then angles back for 4 ft. toward the outer clearstory and meets the pyramid. It is 6 ft. in total height with an 8 ft. depth into the Observation Room space. This could be used as a staging-area for mounting lighting.
There is a canopy of black open-mesh fabric that hangs just above the HVAC built-out area above the tops of the picture windows. This fabric acts as a sun filter for the Observation Room space which can reach temperatures of 90 degrees during the day in the summer when the HVAC is off. This would be important info. for any computer-controlled lighting systems.
A small genie-lift can fit into the elevator for installation. No materials or piece of equipment shall be bigger than is able to fit into the elevator which is pentagonal in shape and measures: 88.5 inches wide by 53.5 inches deep, and 100 inches high in the "square" portion of the shaft. In the rear-angled section, the spacing is 43 inches wide by 24 inches deep. The elevator door measures 53.5 inches wide by 83 inches high. Load capacity is 4,000 lbs.
See full size photos and drawings of the site |
 Project #2: An Outdoor Solar Energy Exhibit
SITE:Outside Deck adjacent to the Environmental Galleries of LSC
COMMISSION: $40,000
Click on the image for more photos of the site
DESIGN CRITERIA
Design, fabrication and installation of an intriguing, interactive exhibit station that demonstrates the principles of solar power. More specifically:
This exhibit station shall make real the following concepts:
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Conversion of the alternative energy source of sunlight into electrical power in photovoltaic cells, and
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It shall incorporate an artificial light source for sunless days - only if some of the exhibit is powered by PV panels incorporated into the design- the majority of the power for this will come from PV panels mounted remotely on the roof.
- Only DC motors may be used and all electric components must run-off-of DC power.
The design should be fun and provoke questions and participation in order to find answers.
The exhibit should incorporate as much "hands-on" activity as possible considering safety and maintenance concerns. Direct cause/effect dynamics should be designed into these interactions. These interactions might include using the solar power to run motors, lights (daylight visible), or sound. The design might utilize public interaction to block the sunlight and therefore cause a direct and easily perceptible result on the functioning of the exhibit components.
The TOTAL AMPS. required for this exhibit station must not draw more than 1 kW. This is TOTAL that the solar cell/battery array can handle and you must work within this guideline.
One or several solar cells may be incorporated into the exhibit itself while the remaining necessary to power the piece will be located in a remote location to be determined by GPU Energy and LSC. LSC/GPU Energy will facilitate the arrangements for installing the remote solar cell arrays and hook-up to your connection on the outside deck. If any of the solar cells incorporated in the exhibit will be operated in parallel with the remote PV arrays, they must be of the same type (to be determined) and their installation will be facilitated by LSC/GPU Energy. If the solar cells incorporated in the exhibit are operated as stand-alone systems, independent of the remote PV arrays, they can be of any size or type and will be the responsibility of the artist to procure and install.
There will be educational text panels located adjacent to the outdoor exhibit piece as well as inside the Environmental Galleries that look out onto the solar power exhibit station. They will inform viewers about how solar power is being used around the world and here in the United States. Design proposals that also include the option of having some element of the outdoor deck exhibit linked remotely to the adjacent indoor Environmental Galleries, are encouraged.
DESCRIPTION OF SITE
The northeast corner of the outdoor deck adjacent to the Environmental Galleries of the Museum. This portion of the deck has a four ft. tall wall with a 24.5 inch wide ledge. Already mounted on this ledge are three weather station instruments which are not to be removed. They do not have to be closely accessible to the public, as their readings are electronically transmitted and appear in an adjacent indoor exhibit station. Regarding deck orientation to the sun, the wall with the weather instruments is facing due South.
The only constraints of this site are that:
- the floor paving tiles will only support 100 lbs. per sq. ft.
- all fabrication materials must withstand the natural elements of ultraviolet sunlight, salt air, and strong winds. The average speed for January was a little over 10 mph; however, daily wind speeds can average up to 15-20 mph in January. The "solid" portion of the balcony wall (which can act as wind barrier) at the corner of the deck measures 7 ft. in length on the east side and 21 ft. on the south side.
See full size photos of the site
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Additional Information Applying to Both Projects
SOLAR CELLS
The solar cell/battery arrays will be donated to both projects and should not be considered as part of the commission budgets.
MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT DONATIONS
It is possible that special materials (ie. fiber optics) and equipment specified in your design might be donated by the manufacturers in return for photographs of finished projects installed at LSC for their publicity purposes. This must be approved and arranged with the project facilitator and LSC in advance with a back-up plan in case donations do not happen.
INSTALLATION
The commissioned artist or designer will be responsible for all delivery, transportation, and installation of his/her solar energy project at LSC.
INSURANCE
The commissioned artist or designer assumes responsibility for all exhibit insurance coverage during the fabrication and transportation. LSC assumes responsibility for all exhibit insurance upon delivery inside the Museum.
WARRANTY
Both solar energy exhibits shall be fully warranted by the commissioned artist or designer for a minimum period of 90 days from the date of installation in full-working condition. The warranty will include any and all software, computer and all other hardware, electric/mechanical components and materials included in the finished solar energy exhibits (in the tower and on the outside deck).
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Address all application questions to Cynthia Pannucci, Project Facilitator at:
tel.718 816-9796; asci@asci.org
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