OGE Pavilion GatWat23
Green Energy Vision & Generative Colonnade • Cologne, Germany
@Uniplan
OGE (Open Grid Europe), one of Europe’s leading gas and energy transmission system operators, required an iconic trade fair pavilion at the GatWat 2023 convention in Cologne to showcase their evolving vision and pan-European pipeline network for green energies such as Hydrogen and captured CO2.
Conceived and designed within Uniplan's spatial team, the architectural concept originated from a central illuminated experience heart enclosed by circular pipe colonnades, creating an immersive space that felt simultaneously protected and visually transparent to trade floor corridors.
Each colored lantern cluster represented a specific green energy sector (hydrogen transmission, CO2 carbon capture, digital grid management), with lighting pulses and color temperatures choreographed in real time to simulate grid load and projected network expansion.
Green Energy Vision & Pipe Colonnade Architecture
The architectural envelope utilizes stylized pipe colonnades to echo OGE’s core infrastructure heritage. Encasing the central forum with vertical cylindrical fins creates an enclosed yet visually permeable environment that draws visitors into the core dialogue area.
Pipe colonnade architecture defining the central green energy forum
Generative Lantern Choreography & Sector Mapping
Priyank Soni led the parametric distribution of overhead illuminated lanterns. Each cluster represents an active branch of OGE’s pipeline transition—green for Hydrogen, blue for Natural Gas, and amber for Carbon Capture—with dynamic lighting intensities communicating grid capacity.
Central experience zone with color-coded energy sector lighting
3D Prototyping & Architectural Fabrication Planning
Custom 3D-printed light housing fixtures and translucent diffuser cones were developed in-house at Uniplan’s digital fabrication lab, ensuring uniform color mixing, thermal stability, and seamless mechanical clipping to the ceiling truss grid.
Fabrication detailing of steel pipe colonnades and integrated media displays
Interactive lighting pulses simulating energy flow across the national grid