World’s First Dual-Axis Concave Mirror Crown Living Architecture for Energy and Water Independence in Fiji
MASK Architects has designed the World's First Solar-Integrated Living System with a Dual-Axis Concave Mirror Crown to Solve Fiji’s Energy and Water Crisis, developed in technological & Engineering partnership with TesserianTech, Italy.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN is fully conceptualized, designed and developed by MASK Architects, combining architectural innovation with integrated environmental technology. The project is realized in collaboration with TesserianTech, who contributes as the technology and engineering partner for the solar-kinetic mirror’s mechanical development and performance optimization.
Architecture by MASK Architects, technology supported by TesserianTech—united to deliver a world-first, climate-resilient living and energy system for Fiji.
Designed for one of the most climate-vulnerable nations on Earth, FIJI SOLAR CROWN introduces the world’s first architectural system that integrates a crown-mounted concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror to deliver reliable electricity, potable water and climate-resilient living for remote island communities facing chronic power shortages, water scarcity, drought cycles, saltwater intrusion and accelerating sea-level rise. Fiji’s dispersed geography suffers from unstable grid access, high diesel dependency and fragile water infrastructures, leaving rural villages and tourism-dependent regions without consistent energy for daily life, healthcare, communications, agriculture and local development. Seasonal droughts continue to intensify the pressure on already limited freshwater resources. In line with MASK Architects’ design philosophy—where every project begins with identifying a real-world problem and transforming architecture into its solution—FIJI SOLAR CROWN responds to these challenges through an integrated, technology-driven spatial system.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN represents the future of climate-resilient living,” say Öznur Pınar Çer and Danilo Petta, founders of MASK Architects. "Our role as architects is to foresee problems and invent integrated solutions." The system blends engineering innovation with cultural respect and spatial intelligence, making clean energy generation an inherent part of everyday living. At the core of the proposal is a family of three concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror modules, each defined by its circular diameter and each operating as a structural and infrastructural crown that powers its surrounding habitat. The system begins with the compact 3-meter module, a lightweight concave mirror micro-unit capable of providing autonomous lighting, small-scale shading, agricultural support or distributed off-grid micro-stations. It expands into the 5-meter module, which utilizes a mid-scale concave dual-axis mirror designed for multifunctional community spaces, educational platforms, shaded gathering areas and tourism units. The family culminates in the 7-meter module, the flagship typology equipped with a large concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror that generates substantial energy, creates an expansive shading canopy and supports full residential living spaces, floating villas and high-end eco-resort suites, and can be positioned on higher ground or mountain slopes to remain safe from rising sea levels. Together, these three concave mirror scales form an adaptive, expandable and culturally grounded architectural system capable of creating entire villages, resorts, pavilions, public energy sculptures or floating communities that grow organically according to local needs.
The design draws deeply from the traditional Fijian bure, reinterpreting its elevated timber structures, generous overhangs, natural ventilation principles and communal spatial organisation. The sacred apex of the bure—a symbolic connection between land, sky and community—evolves into a technologically advanced solar crown. This crown, shaped as a concave parabolic mirror, concentrates and redirects sunlight, initiates micro-climate cooling beneath its canopy, produces high-efficiency electricity, powers night illumination and channels rainfall into the core for water storage. Through this transformation, the cultural morphology of the bure becomes the blueprint for a future-proof energy and living system uniquely tailored to the environmental realities of island nations.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN becomes both an architectural object and an infrastructural organism: a self-sustaining residence, a floating villa or resort that supports local economy and commercial value, a tourism catalyst, a shaded community pavilion and an autonomous solar-water generator. It produces its own electricity through the concave dual-axis kinetic solar mirror, secures its own water through integrated rain harvesting and distributes it across its module network for island-wide benefit, cools its own micro-climate through mirrored shading and cross-ventilation, and empowers local communities with a modular system that can be built, expanded and maintained using local materials and local craftsmanship. It embodies MASK Architects’ commitment to creating world-first innovations—transforming architectural form into environmental function and delivering designs where beauty, culture, technology and sustainability operate as a single unified system. It represents the project identity of MASK Architects’ “Invent and Integrate” methodology, positioning the studio as the first in the world to develop and embed such technologies within their architectural and design projects under a mission of problem-solving driven innovation.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN is conceived not as a single object, but as a family of crown-based spatial systems that can adapt to different landscapes, programs and energy demands. Architecturally, the project is organized around three concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror modules, with diameters of 3 metres, 5 metres and 7 metres. Each of these mirror crowns defines a different scale of inhabitation and infrastructure, yet they all share the same architectural DNA: the mirror becomes the roof, the sky-frame and the primary environmental regulator, while the space beneath it becomes a layered habitat that blends Fijian vernacular cues with advanced material and energy technologies. The smallest 3-metre module is imagined as a light, precise and almost minimal energy pavilion that can appear in the landscape as a micro-shelter, a shade and light device, an agricultural support or an off-grid node. The 5-metre module expands this logic into a more spatially generous canopy, suitable for community programs, outdoor classrooms, shared kitchens, gathering terraces and mid-scale tourism uses. The 7-metre flagship module creates a fully inhabitable, multi-level habitat in which a complete living program, resort suite or floating villa can be suspended beneath the mirror, anchored by a central structural and service core. Across all three scales, the geometry of the concave mirror defines the spatial character: a circular, crown-like canopy that opens to the sky, frames the horizon and shapes the micro-climate below.
Structurally, each module is organized around a Central Structural Core, a vertical spine that integrates load-bearing capacity, circulation and services. From this core, a series of composite fiber structural columns radiate outward, forming an elegant conical or flared framework that supports both the architectural shell and the mirror crown above. The primary load-bearing system combines laminated bamboo and indigenous Fijian hardwoods such as Vesi or Dakua for vertical elements, with bamboo fiber–reinforced composites forming the curved ribs and conical geometry that give the structure both stiffness and controlled flexibility under wind loads. These structural members connect to a Core Shell Structure, a cylindrical or slightly tapered housing that contains the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and serves as a stabilizing shaft anchored into a bamboo-reinforced geopolymer concrete foundation or floating base, depending on the site condition. In coastal or lagoon environments, the same structural logic is adapted onto marine-grade floating platforms and anchoring systems; on mountain slopes or elevated terrain, the core is extended and braced to withstand stronger lateral loads, keeping the living space and energy systems safely above projected sea-level rise.
The mirror itself operates as both a structural and environmental device. The concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror is constructed from high-reflective anodized aluminum panels supported by a lightweight composite rib substructure, and finished with a solar-thermal nano coating that enhances reflectivity and durability under intense tropical UV and salt exposure. The mirror is mounted onto a dual-axis tracking system integrated discreetly into the crown assembly: a rotating base ring manages azimuthal movement, while a cable- and actuator-based mechanism controls the vertical tilt. This mechanism, together with sensors and a control unit, allows the mirror to track the sun throughout the day with high precision. Structurally, the mirror crown is connected back to the structural columns and central core through a ring of load-distribution nodes that separate its rotational mechanics from the static support system, ensuring that the kinetic movement does not compromise the integrity of the frame.
Passing through the crown and extending downwards is the Central Energy Transfer Axis, a vertical element that is both structural and infrastructural. Materially, this axis is conceived as a basalt-fiber composite tube with an internally ceramic-insulated energy channel, capable of hosting concentrated light, cables, cooling conduits and other technical lines without overheating or degrading. It visually and functionally links the concave mirror above to the Ground Energy Conversion & Distribution Core (GECDC) below, where electrical conversion, storage and distribution take place. Around this axis, the Service Spine, Utility Stack, Mechanical and Plumbing Shaft and Internal Staircase are integrated into a compact core that organizes circulation and services through all levels of the module, reducing complexity and making maintenance accessible from within the structure.
Architecturally, the 7-metre flagship module defines a clear vertical organisation of space. At the lowest level, directly beneath the mirror’s shading footprint, a shaded outdoor living deck forms a naturally cooled terrace. Because the concave mirror above intercepts and redirects a significant portion of direct solar radiation, this ground-level zone benefits from reduced heat gain and enhanced comfort; breezes flow through the open perimeter, using the conical structural form as a gentle funnel for cross-ventilation. This level can host hammocks, communal seating, small markets, informal workshops or social encounters, functioning as an extension of the landscape and offering a comfortable living platform even during hot hours of the day.
Above the shaded base sits the Main Living Floor, a fully enclosed or semi-open level that accommodates the core domestic program. Here, panoramic glazed façades curve along the perimeter, framing views of the ocean, jungle or mountains, while the central core consolidates all services. The wall of the core becomes a functional infrastructure containing the bedroom’s wardrobe and storage, compact bathroom and toilet, a kitchenette module where required, and technical access panels for electrical and plumbing systems. This ring of program around the core allows the living room, sleeping area and work or dining zone to open outward to a 360-degree horizon, maintaining visual continuity with the natural surroundings while keeping the most sensitive functions clustered, efficient and easy to maintain. The structural material palette reinforces the connection to Fiji: marine-grade hardwood or bamboo laminate floor decks, bamboo composite balustrades and interior finishes that celebrate local craftsmanship.
The vertical journey continues to an Observation Level, which can be configured as a fully enclosed panoramic observation room, a semi-open sky lounge or a hybrid of both. At this level, occupants are visually closest to the mirror crown and experience the architecture as an inhabitable lens between sky and land. It becomes an ideal space for stargazing, educational activities, cultural storytelling, small gatherings or quiet retreat. In floating resort scenarios, this level transforms the module into a highly desirable experiential suite, with the concave mirror above performing as both an environmental machine and a sculptural halo.
The environmental systems are embedded in every layer of this architecture. The concave parabolic mirror concentrates solar radiation onto high-efficiency photovoltaic receivers located at or near its focal region, translating intense sunlight into electricity that flows down through the Central Energy Transfer Axis into the Ground Energy Conversion & Distribution Core, where inverters, regulators and battery banks are housed. Each module produces energy according to its mirror size and location, with the 7-metre flagship unit designed as a primary energy generator for residential or resort clusters, and the 3- and 5-metre units acting as supplementary producers that stabilise and diversify the energy network. The same mirror geometry is fitted with integrated gutters and collection lips that capture rainwater; guided by gravity, this water is channelled through concealed downpipes into cisterns embedded in the foundation or the floating base, forming a local water reserve that can be filtered for potable use or used for irrigation and grey-water systems.
Beneath the mirror, the architecture of shade becomes a critical environmental device. The concave geometry and its reflective surface do not simply block sunlight but actively redirect thermal and light energy away from the most sensitive zones of occupation, while allowing diffuse sky light to illuminate the space gently. Combined with the aerodynamic form of the canopy and the open lower perimeter, this creates a micro-climate cooling effect that reduces the reliance on mechanical air conditioning. At night, the underside of the mirror is lined with an Ambient Underglow Lighting Ring, a circular LED-based system powered by the energy stored during the day. This ring creates a soft luminous halo, turning the module into a beacon in the landscape or on the water, and reinforcing its identity as a public or semi-public focus point.
Material logic is inseparable from the project’s sustainability and cultural agenda. The use of laminated bamboo, local hardwoods, bamboo composites, basalt-fiber components and geopolymer eco-concrete reflects a deliberate choice to minimise environmental impact while supporting local economies and skills. Timber and bamboo elements can be prefabricated in workshop settings and assembled on-site with marine-grade stainless steel 316 connectors, while the composite and metal elements of the mirror, axis and mechanical systems can be standardised across all three module sizes. This allows for an efficient construction and deployment process in remote locations, making it possible for communities to participate in building and maintaining their own Solar Crown clusters.
As multiple modules are assembled, FIJI SOLAR CROWN transitions from a single prototype to a territorial infrastructure. A group of 7-metre modules might form a chain of floating villas along a lagoon edge; a constellation of 3- and 5-metre units could create a shaded public promenade, a market street or a series of agricultural support points; a mixed cluster on higher ground could become a resilient hilltop village overlooking vulnerable coastlines. In every configuration, the architecture remains consistent: a concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror at the crown, a locally rooted structural and material skeleton, a climate-responsive spatial organisation and an integrated environmental engine that produces energy, collects water, cools micro-climates and supports life.
In this way, the architectural, structural and environmental systems of FIJI SOLAR CROWN are not separate disciplines but one continuous, integrated organism. The crown is not only a symbol—it is a machine; the structure is not only a frame—it is a carrier of energy and services; the living space is not only a program—it is a carefully tuned interface between people, culture, technology and the fragile ecologies of Fiji.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN is conceived as a real energy machine, not just an architectural vision. Under Fiji’s strong tropical sun, each concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror operates as a precise solar concentrator, designed to achieve a minimum of 12 kWh of electrical production per day even at the smallest scale. Working with conservative but realistic assumptions for solar radiation, optical concentration and photovoltaic efficiency, the system establishes a clear energy hierarchy across its three diameters.
The 3-metre concave mirror functions as the smallest solar crown in the family, yet it already performs as a powerful micro-generator. In optimal Fijian conditions, a 3-metre FIJI SOLAR CROWN module is designed to produce approximately 12 kWh of electricity per day, which corresponds to around 4,400 kWh per year. In real terms, this amount of energy can cover the basic daily needs of several off-grid households when used efficiently, powering lighting, mobile and communication devices, small refrigeration, fans, water pumps, basic appliances and shared community uses, or alternatively supporting a small agricultural station, a micro-clinic or a compact public facility. At this scale, the module begins to show its potential as a distributed, repeatable element that can be scattered across villages, farmland and coastal settlements to build a resilient network of micro-infrastructures.
The 5-metre concave dual-axis mirror scales this logic up to a community level. A single 5-metre module is engineered to generate around 30 kWh of electricity per day, reaching approximately 11,000 kWh per year. This output is sufficient to support a cluster of homes, a school building, a community centre, or a mid-scale tourism node combining guest units and service spaces. In a hybrid configuration, a 5-metre unit can supply clean power to shared kitchens, shaded markets, classrooms, digitally equipped learning hubs or local workshop spaces while also feeding energy into battery banks that stabilise demand over cloudy days and at night. In regions where grid connections are weak or non-existent, such a module effectively becomes a local power plant, allowing communities to operate refrigerators, communication networks, water treatment equipment and educational technologies with stable, renewable electricity rather than diesel generators.
At the top of the hierarchy, the 7-metre flagship module becomes the primary crown of the system, both symbolically and energetically. A 7-metre concave dual-axis parabolic kinetic solar mirror is designed to generate roughly 58 kWh of electricity per day, which amounts to around 21,000 kWh per year. This level of production is significant: it can fully power a self-sufficient residential unit or floating villa with high comfort standards, including lighting, appliances, cooling systems, water pumps and treatment, while still providing surplus energy for shared infrastructure, such as walkways, communal lighting, small mobility devices or nearby satellite modules. For resort applications, a single 7-metre crown can support an entire high-end eco-suite plus ancillary functions, reducing or entirely eliminating fossil fuel dependence. When placed on elevated terrain or mountain slopes, these flagship modules also become safe, long-term energy anchors above vulnerable coastal zones.
The transformative potential of FIJI SOLAR CROWN emerges most clearly when the system is multiplied. Ten units of the 3-metre module together can produce around 120 kWh per day, or approximately 44,000 kWh per year, enough to sustain a small off-grid village, a distributed network of agricultural pumps and cold-storage units, or a constellation of community and educational facilities spread across a wider territory. Ten units of the 5-metre module can generate about 300 kWh per day, exceeding 110,000 kWh per year, providing a robust clean-energy backbone for a larger settlement, a mixed-use coastal hub or a multi-building resort complex. A cluster of ten 7-metre flagship modules reaches approximately 580 kWh per day, or around 210,000 kWh per year, which is comparable to the annual consumption of dozens of conventional households combined, depending on lifestyle and efficiency, and more than sufficient to power a full eco-resort, a village-scale micro-grid or a hybrid configuration of local homes and tourism programs.
When all three sizes coexist, a nuanced energy ecology appears. Smaller crowns provide redundancy and fine-grained distribution, ensuring that even if one module is under-maintenance, others can still cover basic needs. The mid-sized crowns stabilise communal and institutional loads, and the largest crowns act as high-capacity generators that can charge shared storage systems, support peak demand and enable new forms of economic activity such as digital services, hospitality, research facilities or creative industries. The architecture therefore becomes a spatial expression of an invisible energy diagram: the crowns in the landscape are also nodes in an intelligent off-grid network.
Beyond pure kilowatt-hours, the environmental and climate benefits are profound. Every FIJI SOLAR CROWN module installed in place of a diesel generator removes a recurring source of emissions, noise and pollution from the island landscape. Over a year, a 7-metre module producing around 21,000 kWh of clean electricity can offset several tonnes of CO₂ that would otherwise be emitted by diesel combustion, depending on the local fuel mix. Multiplied across tens or hundreds of units, the system has the potential to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of remote communities and tourism operations, making Fiji not only a consumer but also a demonstrator of innovative climate solutions.
The concave mirror crowns also create indirect climatic advantages. By shading and cooling the ground, they reduce localised heat islands and improve outdoor comfort, encouraging more life and activity in naturally ventilated environments rather than fully enclosed, mechanically cooled spaces. The integrated rainwater harvesting system transforms intense tropical rainfall into a valuable resource rather than a risk, capturing water on the mirrored surface, guiding it through the structural spine into cisterns, and making it available for drinking, irrigation or grey-water uses, depending on the filtration applied. In an era of increasing droughts and saltwater intrusion, this coupling of energy and water independence is crucial.
As more modules are deployed over time, FIJI SOLAR CROWN becomes a visible and legible instrument of climate adaptation. Small-scale installations mark the beginning of self-sufficiency for a household, a farm or a micro-business. Medium-scale clusters transform neighbourhood infrastructures, enabling schools, clinics and community centres to operate free from the volatility of imported fuel or failing grids. Large-scale constellations of crowns along coasts, on hillsides or over lagoons begin to redraw the energy map of entire regions, positioning Fiji as a global pioneer in solar-cultural infrastructures. What starts as a single crown above a single module grows into an archipelago of radiant, productive landmarks—each one a point of resistance against climate change and a generator of new, resilient ways of living on the islands.
In this sense, the kilowatt-hours are not just numbers; they represent hours of light for children to study, refrigeration for medicines, cold storage for local food, connectivity for remote education, pumps for clean water, and the economic stability that comes from reliable power. FIJI SOLAR CROWN translates abstract climate goals into tangible daily benefits, turning energy and water security into lived reality while simultaneously creating a powerful, culturally anchored architectural identity for Fiji and similar vulnerable island nations.
At the heart of FIJI SOLAR CROWN lies an advanced environmental engine that transforms each architectural module into a self-sustaining generator of energy, shade and water. The system’s crown—formed by a kinetic concave dual-axis parabolic mirror—is not a symbolic gesture but the core technological device that enables autonomous living across Fiji’s remote islands.
Each mirror operates through a highly precise dual-axis solar tracking system capable of rotating 360 degrees horizontally while tilting ±45 degrees vertically. This continuous movement ensures that the mirror never loses alignment with the sun, capturing maximum radiation from dawn to dusk and dramatically increasing daily energy yield. The concave parabolic geometry intensifies and redirects incoming sunlight toward the focal zone with exceptional accuracy, turning the crown into a high-performance solar concentrator engineered for tropical climates.
The entire mirror crown is supported by a kinetic rotation assembly—a low-friction base with precision gearing and actuator-driven cables—which allows it to move gently and constantly with the shifting sun. This engineering system, designed for long-term durability in humid, wind-exposed island environments, gives the architecture a living, breathing character as it tracks the sky.
Around the perimeter, a perforated Atmospheric Light Diffusion Belt softens harsh reflections and distributes daylight evenly, creating a glowing ring that becomes a gentle atmospheric lantern at night. Beneath the mirror, the geometry acts as a cooling canopy: by deflecting thermal radiation and shading the living spaces below, it generates a comfortable micro-climate that reduces the need for mechanical cooling and supports Fiji’s passive ventilation traditions.
The mirror surface itself is treated with a solar-thermal nano-coating that enhances reflectivity while protecting against UV and saltwater corrosion. This ensures long-term energy performance despite Fiji’s intense tropical exposure. Along its outer rim, a carefully engineered rainwater collection lip captures every rainfall event, guiding water through the central structural spine for filtration, storage and distribution — providing communities with an additional layer of water independence in times of drought and saltwater intrusion.
Together, these innovations form a singular environmental system: one device that tracks the sun, concentrates light, produces electricity, cools the air, diffuses daylight, resists extreme climates and harvests fresh water — all while shaping the architectural identity of the module below it.
FIJI SOLAR CROWN’s environmental engine is not hidden within technical rooms; it is celebrated as the crown of the architecture. By merging aesthetics and performance into one unified mechanism, MASK Architects redefines what a solar infrastructure can be: not an external machine added to a building, but the building itself — a living, adaptive, climate-resilient organism designed for the challenges of the future.
Project: FIJI SOLAR CROWN,World’s First Solar-Integrated Living System with a Dual-Axis Concave Mirror Crown to Solve Fiji’s Energy and Water Crisis
Architects: MASK Architects
Founders / Lead Architects: Öznur Pınar Çer & Danilo Petta
Location: Fiji Islands, Oceania
Year: 2025
Client / Beneficiaries:
Local island communities, off-grid settlements, climate-vulnerable coastal populations, and future sustainable tourism operators in Fiji.
