[Image Source: Studio Roosegaarde]

It's a solution that seems just too simple to work, but crazy enough to do an excellent job. As the world's air gets dirtier and dirtier many are pushing for a decrease in pollution, but cleaning up the environment after this halt in contamination production is a task all of its own. Inspired by the disappointing image of seeing all of Beijing covered in smog from his hotel room, designer and engineer Daan Roosegaarde felt he needed to find a solution. That solution was building a giant air purifying tower that could be easily implemented in the most needed areas. A 7 by 3.5 meter air purifier now stands in a public park in Beijing using ionization technology to filter the air.

[Image Source: Studio Roosegaarde]

"The Smog Free Project is not only intended to be a final solution, but also a sensual experience of a clean future. Along with governments, NGOs and the clean-tech industry, people become part of the solution instead of the problem." ~ Smog Free Project

According to CNN Money, the ionization process catches PM2.5 and PM10 sized pollution particles, which leaves the surrounding air around 75% cleaner. Being a designer, Roosegaarde doesn't discard the particles collected, rather he harvests them and forms them into artistic cubes which represent 1000 meters cubed of clean air. The team completed a Kickstarter campaign last year where they received over US$100,000 to bring the purifier into reality.

In total, one purifier can clean 30,000 cubic meters of air per hour running on only 1,400 watts, similar to a small appliance, according to Studio Roosegaarde. Each cube of collected particles is created into stunning jewelry fashioned to rings, necklaces, and even stylish cufflinks.

"Creating a tangible souvenir, Roosegaarde designed Smog Free Rings, Smog Free Cubes and Smog Free Cufflinks of compressed smog particles. By sharing Smog Free Jewellery, you donate 1000m3 of clean air to the city." ~ Smog Free Project

[Image Source: Studio Roosegaarde]

This project represents the world's largest air purifying towers currently in existence, and the plan is to popularize the process to make it both environmentally sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Unlike many large engineering projects, due to the nature of the creator's design skills, the final product blends industrialization seamlessly into the surrounding environments, wherever it is placed. For now, these towers have been making a difference in their localized zones, but widespread implementation in city parks could soon provide clean air havens to many overpopulated environments.

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