LED-powered Curtainwall is Unveiled in China

By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorBeijing, China–The GreenPix Zero Energy Media Wall, designed by New York-based Simone Giostra & Partners Architects and located on the Xicui Entertainment Complex in Beijing, features the world’s largest color LED display. The wall, illuminated by solar energy captured by the building during the day, is the first photovoltaic system integrated into a glass curtain wall in China.GreenPix is designed to promote the integration of sustainable technology in new Chinese architecture. Using a technology developed by Giostra and London-based lighting designer and engineer Arup, the wall was developed with a new technology for laminating photovoltaic cells. The density pattern of the cells on the building was designed to increase the building’s performance, allowing natural light when needed, while reducing heat gain and transforming excessive solar radiation into energy for the wall.GreenPix is composed of 2,292 LED lights, similar to a 24,000-sq.-ft. monitor. The wall, projecting information about the building’s activity, represents a new form of communication devoted to art. This blend of technology with social interaction is meant to define new standards in the context of urban interventions around the world.The building will be open to the public in June 2008, with a program of video installations and live performances.