Alternative energy has not quite taken off in the way that perhaps twenty of thirty years ago we might have imagined despite the increase in the price of fossil fuels as well as the complex politics surrounding their extraction and exploitation. Collectively we know as a society that sooner or later new solutions are going to have to be found, and indeed many interesting projects are beginning to be developed such as the Plataforma Solúcar, in Seville Abengoa (see B-Guided #35, Spring 2008).

The ENDESA pavilion marks another step forward in this regard, open to the public during the course of one year it will be monitored and used for research purposes for the intelligent management of energy. The design is generated by its orientation with respect to the solar path, the approach is both intuitive and low-tech. A terrace opens towards the south, while the northern facing facades are hermetically closed ensuring less heat loss. The deep folds and canopies of the timber skin create both a sculpted and practical shading device.