The 'Algo House' incorporates photobioreactors integrated into the front of the building, maximising the use of solar flux for both microalgae cultures and temperature regulation. This reduces the water consumption for algae culture by nearly 90% compared to classic open-pond cultures and will allow the cultivation, within biological solar collectors of microalgae, with high added value for medical research. The bio facade will also allow the utilisation of heat captured by the photobioreactors and use it for domestic hot water and heating.
The design came about as part of thhe “In Vivo” project, exploring how to create the “Paris of tomorrow” through resilient architecture: the Parisian 13th district has been reimagined as a sustainable ecosystem with the use of space technology. Designed by XTU Architects and its partners from the SymBIO2consortium, the complex of three green eco-conscious buildings has its place amongst the 23 winning proposals of the Réinventer Paris competition.
The design features urban greenhouses, vertical forests, and solar-powered algae bio facade, all three in a multi-purpose building block. The 2,869 sq metre site is currently under development in the La Rive Gauche district paving the way for innovative urban development featuring the eye-catching green-coloured bio facade. By introducing the algae-covered exterior into urban development, the architects utilised the significant potential of space technologies and systems.
One of the key elements of this environment cautious urban design is the application of ESA’s Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). The intensified MELiSSA regenerative technologies were perfectly adapted to become a highly productive photobioreactor (biological solar collector) and to form the actual facade of the building.