ecoLogicStudio has unveiled BioBombola, a pioneering project that invites individuals, families and communities to cultivate a domestic algae garden - a sustainable source of vegetable proteins. BioBombola absorbs carbon dioxide and oxygenates homes more effectively than common domestic plants while fostering a fulfilling daily interaction with nature.
Each BioBombola is composed of a single customized photobioreactor, a one metre tall lab grade glass container, filled with 15 litres of living photosynthetic Spirulina strain (a type of cyanobacteria, which is a family of single-celled microbes that are often referred to as blue-green algae) and culture medium with nutrients. It also includes an air piping system and a small air-pump that constantly stirs the medium. The gentle bubbling keeps the algae afloat, aids oxygenation and produces a calming sound that emanates with the fresh oxygen in the surrounding environment.
The photobioreactor absorbs the equivalent of two young trees in CO2 while producing the same amount of oxygen as seven indoor plants. The harvest is a simple and entertaining process that can be performed several times per week, collecting up to seven grams of Spirulina per day (one tablespoon), which is the daily recommended intake for a family of four.
BioBombola can be easily assembled and dismantled, with zero waste, during the production, assembly and dismantling phases. The photobioreactor adapts to any environment and any ceiling height, and it should be installed in a spot with direct sunlight or next to a grow lamp.
The project explores a visual and tactile way to introduce high-tech cultivation into the urban context by encouraging direct interaction with city-dwellers' everyday lives. "We believe that this product will contribute to re-design some of the logic that led us to the current health crisis," commented Claudia Pasquero and Marco Poletto, founders of ecoLogicStudio. "If we, collectively, transform air pollutants into highly nutritious aliments there will be fewer opportunities for viruses to exploit unsustainable food supply chains and for polluted atmospheres to reach and attach to us."
Photography: NAARO