The project of the British architect Margot Krasojević was ordered by the authorities of Ulan Bator. Its task is to help solve the problem of the expansion of the Gobi Desert: every year the area of meadows in the region is reduced by 3,600 km2, as a result of which dust storms are becoming more frequent. In addition, predominantly westerly winds, deforestation, overgrazing and reduced water resources contribute to desertification. One of the newest countermeasures was the plan to create the Green Wall of China, a huge ring of new forests.
The complex, developed by Krasoevich, includes an underground seed storage. Above it sits a rotating "cluster" of solar panels, holographic filters and mirror panels, acting as a heliostat and directing sunlight underground. It helps to maintain an optimal temperature there and accelerates the germination of seeds, which are then dispersed over the Gobi and, taking root, slow down the expansion of the desert. The underground premises can also be used as a greenhouse for growing food crops.
In addition, the project envisages the creation of a turbine power plant operating on the kinetic energy of sand dunes that are forever in motion. The complex will also include hotel rooms, separated from the greenhouse by a curtain glass wall.
The second part of Margo Krasoevich's research project will focus on solar towers (cyclonic aerothermal power plants) that use sand as an insulating material.
