The first prize in the DesignByMany competition for the Electric Vehicle Charging Station was recently awarded to Arcollab for their Plug + Play proposal. Their design functions as a visual meter of the substantial gap between the production and consumption of energy. This generates a renewed consciousness of energy use in our modern lives. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The led surface of the “plug and play” lights up like a battery indicator, lighting up to a full charge, and dimming down as it powers an electric car. In an entirely playful fashion, it also reverses the negative stigma associated with the smoke stack form of a traditional power plant.
Our project challenges the conventional centralized electric charging station typology, proposing a decentralized, modular system which “plugs in” next to 30 minute activity (play) zones throughout the urban context, taking full advantage of the 30 minute charge time for most electric vehicles. This model is facilitated by the size of the unit – fitting neatly into two adjacent, standard parking spots. Any extra energy generated by the photovoltaic panels on the “plug + play”surface feeds back into the local energy grid.
