marcosandmarjan_Algae-Cellunoi-Algae-growth-simulation-3

Project name: Algae-Cellunoi. Installation for the 9th ARCHILAB. Naturalizing Architecture exhibition, FRAC Centre. Orleans France.

Project Details

The installation is an ornamental wall structure for external use composed of numerous cellular components that work as a scaffold for algae to grow.

The patterns have multiple patterns with gaps and crevices that aim for a gradual involvement of nature in its three-dimensional surface.

The wall is made out of foam which is a quintessential insulation material. What is usually hidden in external walls is here turned inside out and exposed as an ornate thick surface.

The overall organization of cellular components is the result of a computational Voronoi pattern that determined the size and complexity of each cell.

marcosandmarjan_Algae-Cellunoi-side-view

 The result is a sequence of lofted surfaces that follow a gradient of punctuated lines and indentations that vary according to the geometric inclination of each surface – similar to growth layouts in sea barnacles and shells.

The fabrication process is based on two three stages:
1)The milling of each cellular component floating over a milled back wall;
2) 3D objet printing of each flask filled with grown medium and green algae;
3) spraying of grow medium and algae in computationally determined areas of each cell (due to time/technical constraints, this stage has not been carried out for the installation at ARCHILAB).

marcosandmarjan_Algae-Cellunoi-side-zoom-1

Design Team
marcosandmarjan with Guan Lee and Richard Beckett

Client
FRAC

Fabrication
Grymsdyke Farm; DMC London

Algae Technology
Marin Sawa with Nixon Group and Hellgardt Group (Imperial College); Richard Beckett (UCL)

Collaboration
Olivia Pearson: Emu Masuyama; Jessie Lee; Keith McDonald; Jonas Brazys; Cullum Perry

Sponsors
Bartlett School of Architecture; Grymsdyke Farm; Innsbruck University   

Website Reference:
http://mam-arch.com/celluoni.html