Power plants are generally massive and ugly structures, but Danish architect Bjarke Ingels has proposed to top Uppsala power plant with a crystalline dome.
In 2014, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) was invited by the Swedish city of Uppsala to design a biomass power plant. The biomass cogeneration plant is planned to supplement the existing energy infrastructure during the winter when the demand for electricity is high.
The new facility, which will remain vacant during the summer months, created an opportunity for a beautiful recreational area. The public gathering space will also supplement the historical skyline of Scandinavia’s oldest university town.
BIG’s proposal fuses the concepts of a power plant and a greenhouse to create an unconventional hybrid.
The towering transparent enclosure of clear photovoltaic panels mimics a giant rainbow-colored greenhouse while also functioning as a power plant. The panels on the rainbow dome change color as they react to the different levels of sunlight during the day. The building will also serve as a place where every summer Uppsala can stage shows, festivals or music events.
