a thesis by Samuel Tung With the rise of AI, data centers have become ubiquitous, inevitable, and insatiable. Our dependence on their 24-7 operation guzzles excessive water and power to the point where existing infrastructure and natural resources are severely stressed. To compensate, data centers must operate as machines of gross self-sufficiency. Framing them as “Gross” captures three facets simultaneously: — aggregation (gross output), excess (gross overconsumption), and moral distaste (the gross reality of data center expansion). This thesis is manifested in built form as a data center that generates all of its own energy through sustainable systems. However, it is open to the public, allowing us to viscerally confront the colossal power demands of the AI boom.
