Installation by Bartlett Staff Exhibited at the Barcelona Pavilion

An installation designed and built by B-made (The Bartlett Manufacturing and Design Exchange) staff and Engineering & Architectural Design MEng tutors explored how design and interdisciplinary research can shape zero-carbon energy futures. The exhibition, titled ‘In(Visible) Energy’, is based on the four fundamental forces of the universe – gravity, electromagnetism, the weak force and strong nuclear force – to imagine a world beyond fossil fuels, which currently account for 80% of climate change issues. 

The installation featured demonstrations which drew attention with their innovative exploration of energy futures across disciplines.

In the pavilion's pond, gravitational forces were highlighted by precariously balanced stacks of pebbles above the waterline. Inside the pavilion, a levitating aluminium pebble symbolised the potential of electromagnetic energy. Under the sculpture Alba, ripples and sound visualised the power of nuclear forces, showing how a single pebble could hold enough energy to meet one person's lifetime needs—equivalent to burning 250,000 kilograms of fossil fuel.

The project underscored the importance of collaboration among designers, architects and engineers in addressing the global energy crisis. By combining radical technologies with creativity, In(Visible) Energy examined fears and perceptions surrounding new energy sources – including nuclear energy – and called for an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to innovation.

The installation was created by Associate Professors Luke Olsen and Graeme Williamson, Professor Josep Miàs, Melis van den Berg, Dr Christopher Leung, Hamish Veitch, Martha Stevens, Izzy Watson and Orlando George-Ibitoye, alongside visual artist Leon Chew and sound artist Sandy Davis.

More information

• Find out more about Engineering & Architectural Design MEng
• Read more about the exhibition
• Learn more about the B-made team

Images: Flavio Coddou