Sasso San Gottardo

At the summit of the Gotthard, 2091 metres above sea level, embedded in the gallery of the former fortress "Sasso da Pigna", a new exhibition has been created: "Sasso San Gottardo". At the heart of the exhibition is the human challenge of handling natural resources and sustainability. It is divided into seven areas: energy, mobility and living space, security, crystals, water, weather and climate, historical. Based on a concept from Holzer Kobler Architekturen, the exhibition was created between October 2011 and August 2012. iart was part of the exhibition team and responsible for the multimedia istallations and accent illumination.

In the entrance hall a monitor shows selected data of the world statistics in real time. Thus continuously updated numbers on world population, CO2 emission or world energy consumption ease the waiting time. The actual exhibition begins with the energy theme. Sound collages in a 4 channel sound scape create the appropriate atmosphere. Wall fans are connected to two energy bikes. With them visitors can generate up to 400 watts energy and set the fans in motion. Three iPads offer valuable clues to global energy consumption, to individual energy consumption (via CO2 monitor on individual eco-balance) and to the generation of electricity at the Gotthard (data of the Azienda Elettrica Ticinese).

iart furnished the audio-visual technology and the lighting technology in the room "Mobility and Living Space". A quadruple projection focuses on mobility in general and on mobility at the Gotthard in particular. The brightest room of the exhibition shows a stainless steel model of the site and explanatory wall panels. iart developed the lighting system to put the individual elements of the room in focus. For the room "Security" which intensively deals with internet security, iart created a laser installation. Crossing the laser beams the visitors enable an acoustic signal and the projection of different video sequences on internet security. The two relaxation islands in the room are equipped with sound installations and screens.

For the Auditorium, which is designed for presentations and speeches, iart installed the basic media technology. Computers, projectors and a sound system are available for the users.

Giant crystals are displayed in the show cases of the "crystal" room for which iart developed the lighting concept. The two rooms "water" and "weather and climate" are coming up with a multi-media show with multi-channel video projections and eight channel sound as well as a chaos machine, an artificial glacier and a model of the Gotthard. Many different lights, spots and stroboscopes present the topic of climate change. On video stations material on climate change and geo-engineering is available. A model shows the watershed Gotthard massif, the water head of the four Gotthard rivers Rhine, Rhone, Reuss and Tessin. In this room iart was as well responsible for the programming of the sound effects and the video animations as for the hardware.

In the historical part of the fortress the old soldiers' rooms and the ammunition dump have been restored. Video stations show a documentary of the gallery system's history in different language versions.