Kinetic Dancefloor: Powering Stuttgart with Energy
Energizing Stuttgart: Kinetic Dancefloor for Shopping Night Success
It’s 2022, the global energy crisis is in full swing and the climate suddenly feels very real. City planners and their marketing boards not only need to be thinking progressively about a sustainable future, but also showcasing this to the public – providing a tangible sign that sustainability is the only way forward.
Take Stuttgart, for example. The city’s annual Long Autumn Shopping Night is a real crowd-pleaser, with stores open until 10pm and installations to keep everyone entertained. Historically, the city has entertained the crowds with a firework display. But with widely reported environmental impacts – namely, the release of greenhouse gases into the air; the effect on local wildlife and the potential polluting of local rivers – the city recently opted for a greener approach. Last year’s event included light installations and the illumination of the Königsbau building, but given the extensive energy it requires, that was not an option. This year? The mood called for something altogether more sustainable.
Energy Total:
300,000 joules
Engaged Crowd:
>10.000 people
Energy total:
300,000 joules
Engaged Crowd:
>10.000 people
The Installation
Energy Floor’s sustainable kinetic dance floor! The concept is simple: the more people dance, the more energy is produced.
The Brief: Low Cost, High Impact
The set-up needed to be large enough to accommodate groups of dancers, impressive enough to draw a crowd and cost-effective. And of course, it needed to make a statement to the citizens of stuttgart that the city is forward thinking, progressive and making the shift towards renewable energy.
What We Delivered
Inspired by our work with coldplay, we planned, delivered and installed an energy-generating kinetic dancefloor comprised of 32 floor modules totaling 18 square meters – as well as all the necessary additional staging. This was positioned for maximum footfall in the schlossplatz, directly in front of the art museum.
Building up the sustainable kinetic energy floor modules
Connecting the sustainable kinetic energy floor modules
Crowd gathering around the sustainable kinetic energy floor
The Challenges
Time
A short deadline and a modest budget meant we had to work creatively – yet we worked collaboratively and successfully with the client to deliver an installation that met and exceeded their brief.
Precedent
Our work with cities usually focuses on interactive walkways in the public domain using our walker proposition, which produces energy for local infrastructure. This project was for a one-day event so required a slightly different – and more immediately entertaining – approach. In this case, the dancer proposition was the perfect fit, thanks to its ability to draw a crowd and capitalize on a high footfall event.
The Weather!
Luckily, we were prepared. We worked with the client on logistics to ensure the floor was undercover, rain or shine. Thankfully the rain didn’t dampen the crowd’s spirits.
Crowd gathering around the sustainable kinetic energy floor
The Results
The project was a resounding success for our client, exceeding expectations and meeting the overall goal of showing a commitment to environmentally-conscious projects.
The dance floor produced approximately 300,000 joules of energy which powered the lights and sound for the event, making it totally energy efficient and self-powering.
Charity Donations
The event’s generous sponsors promised to donate to the local newspaper’s charity campaign once a certain level of energy had been produced – which it did. Thanks to our energy output display, participants could visualize the energy being produced which hit the maximum level 2.5 Times!
Inspired by our work with coldplay, we planned, delivered and installed an energy-generating kinetic dancefloor comprised of 32 floor modules totaling 18 square meters
Public Awareness
At least eight large dance groups – as well as members of the public – performed all day between 12pm and 10pm to a hugely receptive and engaged crowd. A total of around 10,000 people graced the dancefloor!
Media Attention
Local press covered the event, generating positive pr for the city and its focus on green initiatives.
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