The world's first bio-adaptive facade is installed in 'BIQ house' in hamburg, germany. designed by austrian firm splitterwerk in conjunction with arup,
strategic science consult of germany and colt international, the home was unveiled as part of the international building exhibition in hamburg. essentially, microalgae are used as bio-reactors inside panels that clad the southeast and southwest faces of the building and enclose spacious loggias where the bio-reactive process will be readily observable to future residents. svelte glass volumes hold algae sourced from a nearby tributary of the elbe river, creating a responsive architecture that is constantly in motion and is characterized by ever-changing color. not only do the planes act as a shading device, their exposure to the sun is designed for the algal matter to grow more quickly to produce biomass, a renewable energy source from living organisms that can be converted into biofuel.
In effect, the process of photosynthesis is responsible for a dynamic response to the required solar shading, while the algae creates harvestable energy while multiplying inside glass louvers. the full potential of the system was realized as a result of a technological issue arising from overheating photo bioreactors. the dilemma was posited as a solution to the need for high amounts of heat in buildings. while the louvers are part of a holistic energy concept, excess energy can be stored in buffers or sold back to the local grid. interiors are characterized by a flexible plan, allowing their inhabitants to configure rooms as needed. long winters and inconsistent summers characterize the site; the prevailing logic is that if the solar-dependent system can function in hamburg, the technology can be adapted to myriad environments.