Art, Architecture and Design

Overview of the True North Tower

"Lux Nova" or "True North" is so named because the point of the tower is in line with the North Star, a star that for centuries has been a guide to shepherds and travelers alike through their life journeys.

Wind towers have historically been used in indigenous structures in the Middle East and other tropical climates and are now being introduced within contemporary buildings as part of the commitment to more energy efficient and sustainable developments.

Use the above tabs to find our more information on the tower and its artwork.

Artistic Components

Sarah Hall’s new work, integrated into the wind tower is the first installation of photovoltaic art glass in North America.

Commissioned by Regent College, at UBC, the window combines beauty and function to present a powerful message about art, science, and social responsibility. 

 
Embedded in the tower’s window is an array of solar cells, thin silicon and metal squares that convert light into electricity.  These collect enough energy to illuminate the wind tower’s beautifully coloured LED lighting system, also designed by the artist.

Dichroic Glass is created by plating very thin layers of metal oxides onto a layer of glass in a vacuum chamber. The combined thickness of all of these layers is less than five millionths of an inch, but together they transform the glass into a rich and varied visual celebration. They do this by creating a “dielectric interference filter” - a sort of selective colour mirror - that perfectly reflects or transmits specified colours.

Those colours that are reflected are perceived by the viewer on one side of the glass, while all of the rest of the light passes through the glass and presents another colour to the other side of the glass. Here it is used as a striking design element, forming the 12 coloured crosses in the window.

The most well-known prayer in the Western world is without a doubt the one Jesus of Nazareth taught his disciples. “The Lord’s Prayer,” as it has been called for twenty centuries now, was first prayed in Aramaic, the “heart language” of the people of first-century Palestine. It is now prayed in hundreds of languages all over the globe. Whether in the face of suffering, or in moments of victory, the words of the “our Father in heaven” have lifted human hearts upward.

Ms. Hall spent some time with the wider Regent College community to get a flavour for the unique spirit found within its walls and beyond.  Reflecting upon her time, she envisioned a waterfall.  Out of that vision she created a watercolor painting and incorporated the words to the Lord's Prayer atop of it.

Overlapping all these components, the state-of-the-art True North Wind Tower is sure to be a focal point of attraction for many as they pass through the beautiful park.

Environmental Components

Solar Cells

Photovoltaic art glass merges the ancient art of stained glass with the latest solar technology to produce a window that not only looks magnificent, but also gathers and stores electricity for later use.

Embedded in the tower’s window is an array of solar cells (thin silicon and metal squares that convert light into electricity), and these collect enough energy to illuminate the wind tower’s beautifully coloured LED lighting system, also designed by artist Sarah Hall.

Solar cells are a nearly perfect energy source, as they generate electricity without emitting harmful greenhouse gases. And because they are so durable they can transform nearly any surface into a clean, long-lasting energy source. Moreover, they come in a wide range of colors, allowing an unlimited range of designs.

Radiant Heating and Cooling

The mechanical system of the Regent College Library is based on the concept of a radiant heating and cooling system installed within the concrete structure which forms the ceiling of the library. Tempered fresh air is introduced at low velocities to the library through a series of floor diffusers with natural ventilation exhausting the air through a 40 foot high “wind tower” located on the roof of the library.

Natural ventilation through the windtower is achieved by making use of the natural pressure differences surrounding the building, caused by the wind and stack effect. Air movement within the building will depend on buoyance (thermal forces), stack and wind pressures.

The aerodynamically designed wind tower provides natural ventilation, reduces fan power requirements and increases the energy efficiency of the mechanical systems.

 

 

Image Gallery

Photos by Ken McAllister
©2007 Regent College

If you would like a high-resolution copy of any of the above images please
contact webmaster@regent-college.edu.

News & Links

 

• NATIONAL POST ARTICLE
  This Canadian nation-wide newspaper did quite a large write-up on the True North wind tower and artist Sarah Hall. Click here to read the article.
• SARAH HALL WEBSITE
  Sarah Hall's website. Read more about the artists and the tower. View her website here.
• PRESS RELEASE
  Regent's press release about the artist Sarah Hall's creation.  Click here to read the release. (requires the Adobe Acrobat reader)
• "In Partnership with the Sun" (pdf)
• PLANETSAVE.COM NEWS STORY
  "Art Goes Solar on Canadian Wind Tower"
• ANGLICAN JOURNAL ARTICLE
  "Art installation provides a window on energy conservation"