

micro algae could be the renewable resource we’ve been looking for to power our homes

image courtesy of the mattress factory

despite accounting for less than 1% of the earth’s total biomass, micro algae drives the biological pump which maintains our atmosphere and the balance of ancient matter deposits. the energy dense and nutrient rich material left behind by these microorganisms remains an almost entirely untapped renewable resource by humans. to show the potential, architect jacob douenias and industrial designer ethan frier have created an installation called ‘living things’, where furniture cultivates a symbiotic environment between people and microorganisms. three stations, – a living room, dining room and kitchen each adopting a different bioreactors functioning distinctively in each space.

image courtesy of the mattress factory

the hand blown glass vessels are responsible for both lighting and heating for the occupants, where photobioreactors provide heat, light, agitation, air supply, nutrient and waste control to the living algae inside. the whole system is connected through 1/2 mile of wiring and plumbing to main support network in the kitchen, where each of the nine vessels can be adjusted individually. 3D printed nylon knobs actuate eighteen valves which allow for the harvesting algae when it becomes dense enough to supply the installation with energy. the creators hope to see ‘living things’ become a disruptive hardware in new buildings that integrates microorganisms to help supply ballooning energy and population needs.

illustration courtesy of jacob douenias and ethan frier

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory

image courtesy of the mattress factory