PowerSEED began as a way to playfully and artistically beautify a Pasadena electric power plant. The art installation was commissioned by the City of Pasadena to increase safety and security in the area while making the industrial construction a little less fierce. Developed by a design duo calling themselves UeBERSEE (German for oversees), PowerSEED is a design/art installation incorporating flower-like stalks with stamen-like solar-powered lights sprouting out the top.

The 30 lights are positioned in clusters that are not so randomly scattered about the site. Each solar light sits atop a 24-meter flexible pole that sways gently in the wind and power plant exhaust. In addition, these freestanding lights double as WIFI-controlled structures. And going even further, to increase the sense of ownership towards the installation, the gentleman from UeBERSEE started an "Adopt a Power Plant Program" in which community members can own a light of choice.

The project was completed in 2006, but the excitement didn’t stop there. The design group received a runner-up position in Metropolis magazine’s Next Generation Design Competition. They also went on to receive a position as a finalist for the 2007 Index Awards, a highly acclaimed award program for projects completed in the previous year. As an extension of the PowerSEED, they also designed sidewalk tile pods. These are sidewalk tiles set right into the walkways, imbedded with solar powered lights to artfully and effectively light a pedestrian’s path. This concept in conjunction with the flower stamen solar lights were entered into these competitions, and received recognition for their simplicity, sustainable community attributes, and playful beauty.

Dedicated to "storytelling by design in the business and cultural realm both," the German design duo (Nikolaus Hafermaas and Boris Von Bormann) has worked with clients such as Mercedes, Motorola, Toyota, Audi, Zurich Financial Services, Nissan, and (as we now know) the City of Pasadena. They designate themselves as ideal partners for ad agencies, design houses that want to expand into the 3d environments realm, narrative spaces, and brand experiences. So for those of you who need to add a little play to your office campus, perhaps you should consider UeBERSEE as your environmental designers to improve the sustainability profile of your company and the aesthetic/emotional reactions towards your work environment.