Aporetic Futures — Maryam AlJomairi

Aporetic Futures : Algae Institute - Due to Dubai's rising temperatures and increasing water scarcity, our tower seeks to offer a viable and organic solution through the use of micro-algae. Micro-algae, which are unicellular species, exist in many forms and types each varying in scope and function. Alga-culture is achieved through 3D printed glass photo-bioreactors, which cover the East-West facade of the tower as direct sunlight is necessary for the growth process. The photo-bioreactors are not only efficient in their design but they also allow for the tower to be a didactic tool that people can appreciate both from afar and within, along with the many other exposed processes.
Two types of micro-algae, Haptophyta and Scendesmus, are cultivated through the process of photosynthesis which yields biomass, oxygen and oil while absorbing the surrounding C02 through a filtration system embedded in the structure. These two species allow us to target climate control and water scarcity as the former can become an aerosol, a crucial component in cloud formation, while the latter is used in one of the stages of Desalination, a process by which Brine is extracted and from which Dust Control Agents are created.

Being an incredibly versatile specie, researchers are continuously discovering resourceful ways to take advantage of micro-algae. As a result, our tower is comprised of 3 research and production cores. Core 1 focuses on desalination and the extraction of the brine which is then released into the atmosphere. Core 2 being the largest one, focuses on biomass and oil and the many benefits these can offer us in terms of renewable energy. Finally, Core 3, focuses on climate control through the use of Aerosol.

Project Partner : Marwah Osama
Instructor: Professor Ammar Kalo
Programs used : Autodesk Maya / Rhinoceros 5.0
Fall 2016 - American University of Sharjah