Collaborator: I-Jon Hsieh
New York City, a bustling metropolis nestled in the northern region of the United States, is known for its chilly winters and frequent snowfall. When the snow covers the city, snow-melt salt is indispensable for winter life and keep the streets and sidewalks available. However, the amount of salt used for deicing roads and highways often overused, which cause damage to roads and other infrastructure that need to be repaired annually. Additionally, the massive amount of salt often infiltrates the surrounding soil and water systems, causing severe environmental issues and compromising the natural resources in the city.
https://www.epa.gov/snep/winter-coming-and-it-tons-salt-our-roads
The idea comes from the need to reduce the overuse of snow-melt salt in New York City during the winter months or use alternative organic salt. This project aims to create a concrete bench with a light underneath that illuminates through road salt. The bench will be made using 50 lbs of high-strength concrete mix and plywood for the mold. The road salt will be fill with the fissures of concrete.
The light design functions to illuminate the surrounding of the bench, and the refraction from salt will create a unique and visually appealing effect. This bench will serve as a reflection of exaggerating usage of road salt during the winter months and the need to be mindful of environmental impact.
Ideally, the light will be powered by solar panels, making it energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
One Sentence:
We use a 12V LED strip, 20mA per LED,