How to represent the ever changing magic of Silicon Valley and create a Landmark in San Jose? In Silicon Valley's hundreds of companies have turned innovation into Art. The new icon in San Jose materializes in a gesture, like an artistic white brush stroke in the sky of San Jose, formed by hundreds of rods that generate power for the building when moving in the wind creating a dynamic landmark that expresses the ever changing magic and innovation of Silicon Valley. San Jose has to be proud of his past. The shape of the 1881 Electric light Tower inspires a conical void based on a 75-foot radius within the new 200-foot 21st-century Tower to celebrate this unique moment in San José's history. The conical void allows people to enjoy an extraordinary vertical space while using the different floors of the tower.
How to represent the ever changing magic of Silicon Valley and create a Landmark in San Jose?
In Silicon Valley's hundreds of companies have turned innovation into Art. The new icon in San Jose materializes in a gesture, like an artistic white brush stroke in the blue sky of San Jose, formed by hundreds of rods that generate power when moving in the wind creating a dynamic landmark that expresses the ever changing magic of Silicon Valley, the Art of Innovation.
The power of Individuals working together.
500 dynamic 200ft high flexible rods** will swing to the beat of the wind generating power for the whole building. The hundreds of rods represent the hundreds of different companies and individuals working together in Silicon Valley, San Jose. (*) The rods will have kinetic motion sensors to generate enough power for the building. (**) The materiality of the rods will be decided in the 2nd Stage. They will be highly flexible and contribute to the structural stability of the tower (potentially fiberglass or carbon fiber) providing also Earthquake protection.
Learning from the Past.
Celebrating the 1881 Electric Light Tower. San Jose has to be proud of his past. In 1881 San Jose was a pioneer designing “The Electric Tower”, the first technological Icon of the World inspiring the Eiffel Tower in 1889. The shape of the 1881 electrical tower inspires a conical void based on a 75-foot radius within the new 200-foot 21st-century Tower to celebrate this unique moment in San José's history. The conical void allows people to enjoy an extraordinary vertical space while using the different floors of the tower.
The Program
The footprint of the tower is generated as the existing park pathways and the construction boundaries allowed. It is placed in the most visible area for visitors coming from San Jose Central Business District and the Diridon Train Station, generating a public Plaza in front of the SAP Arena on the corner between N. Autumn St. and W. Santa Clara St. The Program will include a 200 ft View Point, Café/restaurant at 150ft, and Exhibition Space in the first floor and a multipurpose flexible space for Events in the ground floor.
The Structure
The Structure has big structural columns that allocate elevators and staircases supporting the floors and 500 masts that collaborate in the structure and provide earthquake protection.
