Description
Dark Shadow originated from the desire to respond to several pressing problems for human survival: the growing energy needs, global warming, and overpopulation. The idea can be considered Sci-fi engineering work, but still, it fully embraces our studio philosophy: studying apparently distant and/or unsolvable situations, for finding new solutions to actual and concrete problems.

The project consists of a large installation in a geostationary orbit, consisting of a habitable ring and a system made of moving elements to shield the sunlight and mitigate Earth’s warming.
This screen is made up of huge pointed lozenges that are able to completely obscure the planet (if necessary) and also function as photovoltaic panels: the collected energy will be sent to our planet via microwaves, generated by an emitter in synchronous rotary motion with the earth’s one. The beam will then be direct to a precise collection point and fed into the network. The panels will make it possible to produce at least 50,000 TeraWatt/h, in order to cover the global consumption with a large surplus.
The ring will be inhabitable thanks to the gravity generated by the rotation of the structure itself and will contain vegetation and biocompatible buildings.
The ring’s dimensions will also be extraordinary (we consider about 36,000 km only for the radius, equal to the geostationary orbit).

[All renderings are by Giacomo Ravaglia]

Category:
Studies and researches

Year:
2021

Close-up view of the shield (rendering)

Preliminary sketch of the project