“PIVOT,” by Georgia Tech School of Architecture Vermouth (Vee) Hu and recent School of Architecture alumnus Ben Smith features two intertwining operations: a floating ‘terra nova’ constructed at the moving line between land and water and billowing piezoelectric canopy system and floating docks that gather human flows on the site. With this design, visitors to Freshkills can enter the installation from boat launches at each end of the decking or from a series of gangplanks located along the proposed trail system.

Located within the river valley confluence, PIVOT captures energy from nature and generates 2,578 MWh of clean electricity annually to be used in surrounding homes. This lightweight structure provides a maximal beneficial impact by not bearing on the landfill cap. Rather,it occupies only 18 acres of land at the water’s edge. The metal mesh and translucent fabric maximize visibility and sunlight beneath the system to ensure the survival of sea grasses and other edge species.