Gernot Riether’s Cocoon-Like Sugarcane Buildings Win AIA Competition

A series of glowing cocoon-like enclosures will soon light up New Orleans' historic district. Selected in <a href="http://inhabitat.com/aia-launches-competition-to-design-architect-barbies-green-dream-home/">AIA's annual design competition</a>, the proposal by <a href="http://www.arch.gatech.edu/people/gernot-riether">Gernot Riether</a> shows off an interesting building material that could save <a href="http://inhabitat.com/carbon-emissions-at-all-time-high-despite-economic-slowdown/">carbon emissions</a>. Made from glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) comprised of either recycled plastic or sugar cane (which has been grown in the region for 200 years), the amorphous pavilion is currently open to the Public in New Orleans historic French Quarter.

AIA's annual design competition brings additional life to New Orlean's already pumping environment.

Gernot Riether's proposal includes a series of enclosures scattered throughout the city.

They are illuminated at night.

They are made from either recycled plastic or sugar cane.

Made up of special, prefabricated cells, they ship easily to their destination site.

Once they arrive at their destination, they respond to that particular environment.

They morph according to the solar orientation, lighting, flora, and rainwater harvest.

The enclosures are tucked away in cozy spots throughout the city.

The 18 square meter structure uses 320 PETG cells and costs $2,500.

Riether and 6 students from Georgia Institute of Technology put the enclosure together in less than 2 days.

It is currently on show in the garden of Arthur Ross' gallery in the French Quarter.

Sugarcane has been farmed in Louisana for two centuries.

So it makes sense for Riether to use sugar cane instead of plastic to build these fascinating structures.