list
Project name Oxygen Curtain
Organisation RAD: Responsive Architecture at Daniels
Persons Mae Shaban
City Toronto
Country CA
Period 2011
URL http://rad.daniels.utoronto.ca/2011/01/oxygen-curtain/
Tags air refreshing, autonomy, organisms, environment, water, sensors, CO2, project, nutrients, algae, bioreactor, plant, carbon, oxygen, design,
Text The curtain integrates an efficient organic living carbon sink into an interior space. The curtain produces an amount of oxygen equivalent to a mature broad leaved tree – it is a dramatically enhanced house plant. The curtain is composed of an array of algae bioreactors. A network of indoor air, power and nutrient supply lines weave the bioreactors into a single membrane. The nutrients are supplied by the building’s waste water. The curtain is nourished by the CO2 from the exhalation of the inhabitants. It is directly responsive to the users and the environment; each module operates autonomously and sensors activate select modules as appropriate to the changing levels of CO2 within a space. The modules then expand and contract with circulating air revealing a mechanic-organic organism that is continuously refreshing the air.