Multifunctional Urban Structure Design
Multifunctional Urban Structure Design now is over!
Calzavara recently has launched new urban design award looking for new ideas and design for multifunctional urban design structures which will host network antennas and related hardware inside urban environments, serving also as decorative and/or functional elements.
About Competition
For the correct realisation of your proposals, keep into consideration the following guidelines:
Product typology: you are invited to design a multifunctional urban structure, devoted to hosting network antennas. Antennas can either be concealed inside the structure or be visible elements of the structure design.
Style: the new structure will have an innovative design, suitable to be installed inside urban areas, city centres, city squares. It could be part of street furniture, such as an “improved” street lamp, or a solo decoration element or an urban sculpture installed inside a city square or a decoration structure standing out from a roundabout. There isn’t any indication about specific geographic areas in which these structures will be installed, so designers should feel free to choose their own style.
Features/functioning: in addition to hosting the network antennas on the top part, the structures should also provide some “smart” functionalities: they might embed info panels, displays with traffic information, parking availability or other type of information. Think also of the emerging needs of the urban people and think of innovative services and functions for these structures. While choosing which functional elements or devices to employ (for example watches, displays, etc.), consider items already available on the market.
Technical information
Sectors, antennas and equipment boxes
The structures you design will host 3 sectors. The sectors are units made of 2 antennas and 2 equipment boxes each. Below is a short description of the two different elements:
Antennas
Consider each antenna as a box with the following size 300x160x70mm (HxLxW). Antennas are supposed to be installed on the top part of the structure in order to get the best network coverage possible. Every sector has 2 antennas that can either be installed at the same level or one over the other.
We remind you that antennas might be concealed inside your structure or be visible elements in the structure design, playing an important role in the aesthetics. At all events, antennas must be placed in the top part. For more info, please refer to the Material files attached.
Equipment boxes
Each antenna has a respective equipment box that sends in the radio signals. The equipment box measures 400x360x180mm (HxLxW). Each sector has accordingly also 2 equipment boxes. Unlike antennas, equipment boxes can be installed at the base of the structure (for example inside a technical cabinet) or they can also be installed behind or below the respective antenna.
As already mentioned, the structures will host 3 sectors each, that is 6 antennas and 6 respective equipment boxes. In order to better design your structure, keep into consideration that the network coverage shall be on the 360°, so adjust the orientation of the antennas of the sectors accordingly. Usually antennas are mounted in a uniform configuration at 10-15 metres of height on a single pole, each antenna placed at 120°.
For some installation examples, please see the Material files attached.
Overall structure height: the whole structure will have a height ranging between 10 to 15 metres and shall host the antennas on the top level. You can reach the maximum height with a pole or with a part of the main structure.
Notes for installation and maintenance
While designing your structure keep into consideration that technicians will perform ordinary maintenance on the antennas and on the equipment boxes, accordingly you should provide an easy access to both and some clearance space around.
Materials
In case you want to cover the antennas, only employ materials that allow the radio propagation, such as polycarbonate and fiberglass. No steel materials should be placed in front of the antennas.
Structures are usually made of hot galvanised steel. Decorative panels and surface panels will be screen-printed with decorations; screen-printing is preferred to drilling or carving the surface material. Make sure all materials you employ are UV resistant and weatherproof. Do not use glass or wood.
Lighting
The structures you design shall employ LED technologies. You can use light effects to emphasize some design features or create some new visual effects. Structures could also serve as urban lighting elements for the street lighting.
Values to convey
In your design draw inspiration from the following values: disruptive, technological innovation, attention to details, high quality, contamination of ideas and cultures.
Deliverables
To better evaluate your proposals, include at least one rendering of the project in a 3/4 oriented view on white background and another render with an urban environment setting (emphasizing light effects if they are expected). In order to give an idea of the overall size, internal volumes and structural features, include some quoted measures in your presentation images. Please attach a .ZIP archive containing a 2D drawing with floor plan view, elevation view and sections views (scale 1:50 and 1:20). Don’t forget about the abstract and description to give further info about your projects. You can submit as many entries as you like!
Eligibility
Participation is free of charge and open to designers and creative talents of any nationality aged 18 years or older. Participants can present one or more projects, but only the projects published on the www.desall.com web site, via the upload page related to “Multifunctional Urban Structure Design” will be accepted.