# Solar Skinned Structures The LAVA ‘Tower Skin' Turns Ugly Building into a Masterpiece By Meghan Young | Published 2010-02-10 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lava-tower-skin References: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/9072/lava-tower-skin.html) & [green.uts.edu.au](http://www.green.uts.edu.au/for/students/student-sustainability-projects.html) I like this rationale: instead of destroying a perfectly good, yet incredibly ugly, building, work with it just as this architecture firm did with the LAVA 'Tower Skin.' Not only did they work with it, but they also made the LAVA 'Tower Skin' eco-friendly. Covering the ugliest building in Sydney, Australia, LAVA proposes to wrap up the University of Technology Sydney Tower in photovoltaic skin, which would generate power and aid the building's climate control system while also gathering rain water” Photo Credits: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/9072/lava-tower-skin.html), [green.uts.edu.au](http://www.green.uts.edu.au/for/students/student-sustainability-projects.html) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 45% | Activity: 51% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Eco-friendly Building Skins:** The use of photovoltaic skin to generate power and aid in climate control presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in building construction. - **Renewable Energy Integration:** Integrating photovoltaic skin into buildings allows for the generation of renewable energy and presents opportunities to disrupt the energy industry. - **Sustainable Architecture:** The adoption of sustainable building practices, such as using photovoltaic skin, creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the architectural industry. ### Where This Applies - **Building Construction:** The use of photovoltaic skin in building construction presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the industry. - **Energy Generation:** Integrating photovoltaic skin into building designs opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the energy generation sector. - **Architecture:** The adoption of sustainable building practices, such as using photovoltaic skin, creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the architectural industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Rejuvenated Former Bank Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/former-bank-building.md) - [Heritage Building-Blending Solar Panels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invisible-solar.md) - [Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/civic-architects-and-vdndp.md) - [Organic Striking Tower Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-leaves.md) - [Solar-Lined Energy Towers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-tower-1.md) - [Copper-Extended Brutalist Building](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sirius-building.md) - [Colorful Rooftop Unified Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nantou-hybrid-building.md) - [Self-Cooling Exterior Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/promenade-building.md) - [Kinetic Interaction Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transmutation-observatory.md)