Algae-Based Building Concepts

A group of student researchers from the Bartlett School of Architecture created what they call the Eco Village Concept. This is a group of buildings that use algae as the base material for the structures. The concept is to be constructed in Ningbo, China, where it will serve as both a community attraction and a net-positive for the local environment.

Algae is a useful building material not only for its visual aesthetic, but also for its natural properties. Algae is capable of absorbing heat and helping to regulate the temperature within a building while simultaneously capturing carbon dioxide from the air. This results in less energy being spent on temperature regulation and reduced emissions in the region.

Instead of simply crafting a building out of bricks and coating it in algae as many architects have done before, these students utilized raw 'green macro algae' and cured it before compressing it into sturdy lightweight blocks. In order to supplement the structural integrity of the buildings in the eco village concept without removing the eco aspect, the students use a mix of clay and algae to create fully naturally-derived buildings that are visually aesthetic and sustainable. On top of this, these materials are easy to work with, resulting in a high amount of personalization and customization on each building.

Image Credit: Bartlett School of Architecture, designboom, ucl.ac.uk