Cellular, A New Idea Of Urban Green

Courtesy Vivian Tamm

The problems of cities have often been discussed, from the need for a more sustainable vision to urban heat islands. In recent years, solutions have been proposed to integrate of greenery directly into the architectural structure of buildings: from simple pots that become part of the facade to real green infrastructures. One example is the Cellular project, an ongoing research project by Vivian Tamm, a student at the Weißensee Academy of Arts and Design in Berlin.

The project was initiated as part of the CRAFT programme, an international collaborative project between several universities, including UAL and the Weißensee Academy. Cellular is a facade tile system designed to improve the microclimate of the building and surrounding areas and integrating aerophytic algae growth into a facade system, giving a completely new aesthetic to urban greenery.

The ceramic panels are hollow in order to store rainwater, creating a humid and perfect environment for vegetation. Each element of Cellular has an adjustable surface coating that allows its color to be defined based on the algae species. The algae micro-patina that develops on the surface produces oxygen and absorbs atmospheric pollutants while the evaporation of rainwater causes natural air conditioning. In addition to offering cities a possible solution to become more resilient to climate change, Vivian aims to bring organic life back into our urban landscapes to encourage a shift in sensitivity towards nature.

The project is still under development, working prototypes have algae on the surface, however, these have been applied artificially because natural growth would take years. At the moment Vivian, in collaboration with the Department of Bioprocess Engineering at the Technical University of Berlin, is also conducting laboratory tests on the natural growth of algae on adjustable ceramic surfaces. In parallel, the designer is developing her thesis, a project to implement the production of solar energy in urban areas.

While waiting to see how this research develop, visit Vivian Tamm’s website!