PAVEGEN - THE POWER OF SPORT

Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL & lagos, nigeria

To demonstrate the possibilities of kinetic energy we refurbished a run-down community football pitch in Morro da Mineira, a Rio de Janeiro favela. We teamed up with a grant recipient of the Shell LiveWIRE programme, Pavegen, laying special tiles under the pitch surface to capture the energy generated by football players’ movement. This energy is then stored and combined with the power generated by solar panels next to the pitch to convert into renewable electricity for the pitch’s new floodlights. This gives everyone in the favela, and especially the youngsters, a safe and secure community space at night. A second pitch was also built in Lagos, Nigeria.

The project won over 35 international awards in 2015 including a Bronze Lion and the Grand Prix at both the Event Awards and EVCOM Awards.

Agency: J. Walter Thompson. Role: Project Director.

Photography by Christopher Pillitz