Project Details

It's Electric

8 weeks

The project site, a parking lot adjacent to University Hall, is located in the heart of the sports grounds of the University. The present rail program of freight transit includes shipments of coal, which powers much of the University’s operations. The proposed Rail Halt will service commuters and visitors travelling to John Paul Jones Arena, the University, Charlottesville and the greater region. “It’s Electric” takes its cue from the omnipresent circuit board. On site, the train’s arrival “flips the switch,” opening the circuit and prompting the flow of people (the site’s “energy”) through the space. Tall native grasses bordering walkways take the form of their own circuits. They guide circulation, but they also “move” with people and with the wind – keeping the site active when there are no trains in the station. Piezoelectric sensors in the path harness the energy of pedestrians, and transform the space with increased lighting along the grass edges, resulting in a heightened glow at night during peak rush hour and high-attendance events at the Arena and on Grounds.