THE ELECTRIC HOTEL is the brain-child of German artist Sebastian Fleiter. On first glance, it is a mobile power-plant that travels music festivals to charge over 3.000 mobile phones a day with energy from renewable resources. On second glance, it is an award winning concept that tells visitors a story about the daily used, scarcely known phenomenon electricity. In an entertaining way, with no fingers raised or pointed.
Core of the concept is a reclaimed 1960s polished aluminium Airstream camper that has been equipped with wind turbines, solar panels, water wheels, muscle-driven generators, a battery bank, lots of custom-build electronics, 400 charging bays, gazillions of LEDs, a hotel reception in Art-Deco-Style and very friendly staff.
Festival goers can choose to either invest cash on an hourly basis to have the hotel staff take care of the charging procedure, or to take the energy-generating-procedure into their own hands. Or legs. If they opt for the first, their depleted phone is logged in a computer databank and put on charge until full. If they opt for the second, they can invest time and muscle power to generate hand-made electricity for their mobile phone, and indeed those of others if they so choose, on one of the kinetic modules. Cranking, pumping, pedaling – various muscle strains are well catered for at stations like the worlds first, one and only mobile water power plant. Which, as all the other self-operated modules, is free of charge. Financially speaking. It might cost the odd sour muscle though.
Apart from the phone-charging business, THE ELECTRIC HOTEL is a communication platform that cooperates with artists, filmmakers, designers and other creative folk to generate a unique electrifying experience. It not only resembles a sort of mobile “Energiewende”, but also features screens with an assorted collection of old silent and modern animation film, electric paraphernalia of over one century, diverse fun, interactive and surprising whatnots, and not least invites musicians and performance artists to the rooftop or the close surroundings, powering their performance with the energy harnessed on site.
THE ELECTRIC HOTEL has received funding from the European Union EFRE-program, has been honored with the “Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in Gold” amongst various other awards, and has been elected “Creative Pilot” by the German Ministry of Economics.
