EcoLogicStudio has 3D-printed a ten-meter algae-based biopolymer construction that photosynthesizes fifteen times more efficiently than a real tree.
It’s not the first project to use algae to clean up polluted air (we reported on the installation of carbon-absorbing kelp farms here), but the sculptural creation, called Tilted Tree One, is probably the most spectacular attempt to do so, and could even significantly improve the quality of life for city dwellers. A special development by EcoLogicStudio, consisting of two parts made of algae, was unveiled in Korea. Its trunk is built from 3D-printed elements using a proprietary biopolymer. This material effectively recycles dead microalgae into biomass. Forty photobioreactors have been connected to it, in which a total of five hundred liters of algae carry out photosynthesis. They have calculated that they release fifteen times as much pure oxygen back into the air as a large real tree produces. The algae culture requires constant care, dead cells must be removed to make room for new ones to grow. The harvested biomass is then used to make biopolymer, making the life of the Tilted Tree fully circular.
The London-based studio has used algae to clean the air before, creating a clear and fresh microclimate in playgrounds for a previous project.
Source: Dezeen
Photos: Joonhwan Yoon
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