Incorporating more than 60,000 functioning solar photovoltaic cells into the south-facing exterior of the sculpture, it will generously give 400,000 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually to power the park—equivalent to the demand of more than forty homes. It will also provide 25,000 square feet of shaded, breeze-filled microclimate.
Functioning as a sundial, The Arch is also an interactive time-measuring device that creates a connection between the celestial and the terrestrial by means of a meticulously orchestrated casting of sunlight as a performance art onto the ground plane throughout each day. Each beam of light is uniquely composed through the seasons and hours of the day by the geometry of the artwork, which responds to the Earth’s rotation and the specific latitude and longitude of Houston.
This new civic artwork will provide STEAM education to thousands, teaching lessons on science, astronomy, and energy. Arch of Time will be a destination for schools from K-12, community college, and university programs. Students will learn about solar photovoltaic science and engineering as they monitor the energy production of the artwork in real-time.
Over its lifetime of boosting tourism, catalyzing economic development, and attracting new residents to the city, the regenerative artwork will generate more than 12 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy— the equivalent of removing 8,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide, more than offsetting its own environmental footprint. It will be the world’s first artwork of its kind that is a net-positive contribution to the energy transition, reducing the carbon footprint of the city.
Quoting the late Mayor Turner, whose vision helped to bring the Arch of Time to Houston, “This unique artwork is more than a sculpture. It is a renewable energy power plant. It is a monument to a new era of energy, highlighting Houston’s role as an art city and as global leader in the energy transition.”
The artwork will also serve as a center for reliable power during emergencies. As a resilience hub, the Arch of Time will provide a place for nearby residents to access electricity during blackouts associated with more frequent and severe storm events and a refuge where people can stay cool as the heat island effects in Houston become more severe.
During normal operations, the artwork will more than offset the historic electricity demand of the park itself, which in 2024 consumed 382,800 kWh of electricity, saving tens of thousands of dollars each year and making Mason Park a net-zero amenity for the people of Houston.
