In a world marked by increasing energy insecurity, exacerbated by climate change, resource inequality, and geopolitical instability, access to affordable electricity is no longer guaranteed. How can residents of an energy-dependent, modern city like Vienna adapt to meet basic needs in the face of widespread power outages? How might existing energy infrastructures in public spaces be re imagined to serve the public in times of crisis?
To confront the challenges of energy scarcity, we immersed ourselves in a city without electricity, seeking hidden sources of power in the urban landscape. From scavenging discarded vape pens for their residual energy to re purposing chemicals in old electronics for makeshift cooking, we explored unconventional ways to survive without reliable power. Our experiments ultimately led us to the rentable e-scooters scattered throughout city streets worldwide, each offering untapped potential for generating and storing electricity in times of crisis.
99 Cents to Start proposes a system that transforms these widely available electric scooters into emergency power sources. Though these scooters occupy public spaces and exist primarily to generate private profit, we suggest subverting this model to benefit the community. Through practical demonstrations, the project reimagines e-scooters as vital resources that can be dismantled and repurposed for public power generation and storage. With this project we call on urban inhabitants to rethink shared resources and reclaim the infrastructure around them for communal resilience.
Energy Generator Prototype
Exemplary modified electric device
Process Experimentation
Credits
Created together with Tim Ficht Thanks to the Design Investigations Team at Angewandte!
