What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore the integration of microbial systems in architecture for sustainable living.

February 14, 20260 citations

Monstrous Matter: The Microbial Foundations for a Living Planet

Key Points

The aim is to explore the integration of microbial systems in architecture for sustainable living.
Collaboration among multiple institutions to design microbial fuel cell systems.
Development of bio-digital prototype bricks for living architecture.
Implementation of hydroponics to manage carbon dioxide and nitrogen effectively.
Successful prototype of a microbial fuel cell bioreactor brick.
Advancements in the understanding of sustainable energy in infrastructure.
Enhanced methods for managing environmental gases through innovative technologies.

Abstract

sponsorship: Living Architecture is Funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Future Emerging Technologies Open programme (2016-2019) Grant Agreement 686585 a consortium of 6 collaborating institutions-Newcastle University, University of Trento, University of the West of England, Spanish National Research Council, Explora Biotech and Liquifer Systems Group. The Active LivingInfrastructure: Controlled Environment (ALICE) project is funded by an EU Innovation Award for the development of a bio-digital 'brick' prototype, a collaboration between Newcastle University, Translating Nature, and the University of the West of England (2019-2021) under EU Grant Agreement no. 851246. 999 years 13sqm (the future belongs to ghosts), installation by Cecile B. Evans and Rachel Armstrong at the Whitechapel Gallery at the group exhibition "Is this Tomorrow?", London (2019) was possible with contributions by: Bioengineering team: Io-annis Ieropoulos (lead; University of the West of England), Simone Ferracina (University of Edinburgh), Rolf Hughes (Newcastle University), Pierangelo Scravaglieri (Newcastle University), Jiseon You (University of the West of En-gland), Arjuna Mendis (University of the West of England), Tom Hall (University of the West of England), Patrick Brinson (University of the West of England); Microbial Fuel Cell Bioreactor Brick Installation Design: Pierangelo Scravaglieri and Jiseon You, under the guidance of Ioannis Ieropoulos; Structure Designer: Dominik Arni; Structure Fabricator: Weber Industries; Contributing Writer: Amal Khalaf; Animator: Tom Kemp; Composer: Mati Gavriel; Research and production assistance: Anna Clifford; Installation team: Richard Hards, Hady Kamar; Sponsorship from Personal Improvement Ltd. and Living Architecture (EU Grant Agreement no. 686585). In-Kind support provided by Andrew Hesketh; Audioviz (UK FogScreen); the Bristol BioEnergy Centre at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory and their research into alternative, sustainable sources of power for the home and infrastructure. The Microbial Hydroponics project is funded by the EIC Pathfinder Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Management Challenges Portfolio (2023-2027) as a collaboration between KU Leuven, University of Southampton, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, The Spanish National Research Council, Biofaction and the University of the West of England under EU Grant Agreement no. 101114746. (EU Horizon 2020 Future Emerging Technologies Open programme (2016-2019)|686585, EU Innovation Award, Newcastle University, Translating Nature, University of the West of England under EU|851246, Personal Improvement Ltd., Living Architecture (EU)|686585, EIC Pathfinder Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Management Challenges Portfolio (2023-2027), KU Leuven, University of Southampton, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Spanish National Research Council, Biofaction, University of the West of England under EU, 101114746)

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