Author: lillaporkolab

BIO-bubble

Modular Inflatable Air Purifying Structure

BIO-bubble is a modular, inflatable, air purifying structure. It comprises of recycled, 3D printed bio-plastic tubes, with ETFE pillows cushioned between. The tubes act as microalgae bio-reactors, which are encased within a second tube which keeps air circulating to the recycled ETFE cushions.

Majority of the structure is air, water, and air-purifying microalgae, creating an efficient, ecological bio structure.

The structure comprises of inter-connecting modules which can have different functions. They can act as an inflatable structure that people can walk through, and kids can play inside. The modules can also act as a greenhouse, with the dark, water-filled base acting as a heat sink. The heat stored during the day from solar energy is released at night to maintain a warm environment for the plants within.

It is a showcase for sustainable novel design solutions, which is accessible to public. 

Because the structure is so lightweight, it can be assembled easily in any location, allowing different local communities to interact with it. The lightness of the structure means it has a low in embodied carbon and minimizes emissions associated with transportation, installation and dismantling. It can also be scaled up or down.

The microalgae growing within the structure can be harvested to be used for various bio-materials or bio-fuel.

 

The Living Fabric Tower

Brief 01
How do natural structures and organisms interface with their environment? We seek an architectural language that relates to and speaks to the natural world rather than standing apart from it, by designing a performative urban modular Artefact that brings living nature into the city. The Artefact will be highly site specific, half man-made and half grown from nature.

Chosen Area of Interest – Fungi / Mycelium

Fungi absorb nutrients through vast underground networks of white branching threads called mycelium. Though hidden in the soil and sometimes mistaken for roots, mycelium is actually the proper body of a fungus. Mushrooms are the fruit, appearing only when conditions for spreading their spores are just right.

Mycelium plays a vital role in the decompositon of plant material but also can form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of cer­tain plants, called mycorrhiza. Most plants depend on mycorrhiza to absorb phosphorus and other nutrients. In exchange, fungi gain constant access to the plants carbohydrates. Often, neither the mushroom nor the plant will grow without a mycorrhizal partner.