Light in the Forest

I'm thinking about ways that a site can create social interaction while it is in a state of transition.  I'm also interested in energy production and material applications.  All of these things combined seem to make this:

What other ways can I incorporate energy and materials into spaces to get people to interact with one another and the site?  How can we keep people invested in urban developments on contested pieces of land while they sit in limbo waiting for a plan?