Editor’s Choice
2016 Skyscraper Competition

Zhu Lan
China

Plan A of Maracaibo is a plan for treating lake water. In the base, there is thunder, lightning and storms. However, the skyscraper has a huge sail that may generate power through wind forces. In the mean time, current flows towards the conductor screen on the roof of the building to form a magnetic field, through which lightning is constantly attracted. Collected lightning passes through an inverter device inside the skyscraper and is thus transformed into alternating current. Some current is transmitted to cities through submarine cables, while some is used as electricity for the skyscraper itself. In the lower part of the skyscraper, there is a device for purifying and desalinizing the lake water. Collected current makes energy available for desalinizing water of the lake by electrodialysis, while pumped the lake water is continuously purified. Plan A intends to reduce the extent to which petroleum is extracted from the bottom of the lake and pollution with the energy gathered from lightning.