World’s First Urban Algae Canopy Produces the Oxygen Equivalent of Four Hectares of Woodland Every Day

The Urban Algae Canopy by <a href="http://www.ecologicstudio.com/v2/index.php" target="_blank">ecoLogic Studio</a> is a piece of bio-digital architecture that combines micro-algal cultures and real time digital cultivation protocols. To be displayed at <a href="http://en.expo2015.org/" target="_blank">Expo Milano 2015</a>, the structure is able to control the flow of energy, water and carbon dioxide based on weather patterns, visitor's movements, and other environmental variables. It's the first of its kind in the world, and once fully completed, the canopy will be able to produce the oxygen equivalent of four hectares of woodland, along with nearly 330 pounds of biomass per day.

Forming part of the <a href="http://www.carloratti.com/project/future-food-district/" target="_blank">Future Food District</a> project curated by <a href="http://www.carloratti.com/?page=home" target="_blank">Carlo Ratti Associati</a>, the Urban Algae Canopy marks the culmination of six years worth of research.

A custom designed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETFE" target="_blank">ETFE</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladding_(construction)" target="_blank">cladding</a> system, which consists of three layers and was designed with the help of <a href="http://www.taiyo-europe.com/" target="_blank">Taiyo Europe</a>, enhances the already exceptional properties of the microalgae organisms.

Claudia Pasquero and Marco Poletto in front of the Urban Algae Canopy

Special CNC welding technology on the other hand enabled ecoLogicStudio to alter the canopy's morphology and control the dynamic behaviour of the water that courses through the structure to act as a medium for the living organisms.

This intersection between technology and biology means that when the sun shines more intensively, the algae would <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-energy-independent-tree-of-life-pavilion-unveiled-for-the-world-expo-2015-in-milan/" target="_blank">photosynthesise and grow</a>, which in turn reduces the transparency of the canopy and provides more shade.

With mico-algae as the foundation of the canopy, it is inherently responsive, so visitors will be able to influence the building's behavior in real-time.

At any given time, the transparency, color and shading potential of the canopy will be the product of the interrelationships between climate, micro-algae, visitors and digital control systems.

“It is now time to overcome the segregation between technology and nature typical of the mechanical age, to embrace a systemic understanding of architecture,” concludes Claudia Pasquero of ecoLogicStudio.

“In this prototype the boundaries between the material, spatial and technological dimensions have been carefully articulated to achieve efficiency, resilience and beauty.”

These prototypes constitute a revolution in the conception of building integrated farming and urban agriculture.

“The functioning principle of the prototypes is based on the exceptional properties of microalgae organisms, which are ten times more efficient photosynthetic machines compared to large trees and grasses” - explains Carlo Ratti, curator of the Future Food District.

Once completed as part of EXPO2015 Future food District, the Urban Algae Canopy will produce the oxygen equivalent of four hectares of woodland and up to 150kg of biomass per day, 60 percent of which are natural vegetal proteins.

As part of the Future Food District project, curated by Carlo Ratti Associati at the central crossroads of the EXPO site, a new vision of future bio-digital architectures powered by microalgae organisms has been proposed by the London based ecoLogicStudio.