Indus

London Design Festival, shortlisted for Beazley Designs of the Year, London

Water Futures, New York, 1st prize

Holcim Next Generation Award, Zurich, 1st prize

Indus is a biologically integrated wall, designed using computational algorithms to create ceramic scaffolds which contain microalgae for bioremediation of polluted water. In a system of interlocking modular tiles, vein-like channels are pressed into clay – inspired by the architectural form of leaves, whose surfaces distribute water evenly – and filled with a seaweed-based hydrogel with microalgae suspended in it. Computational fluid simulations further optimise the water distribution throughout the structure, enabling a more efficient algae-wastewater contact. As waste water flows over the tiles, the microalgae, which can remain active for up to several months, extract heavy metals like cadmium. The reusable tiles can be removed one by one to be maintained and refilled with fresh hydrogel.

Team

Shneel Malik, Brenda Parker, Marcos Cruz. UCL Bio-ID

Technical collaboration:
Laura Stoffels, Anete Salmane, Kayan Patel

Fabrication:
Froyle Tiles

Support:
Pure Earth and Delhi University India; Algae UK and EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund

Collaboration:
Dali Al-Naeb, Aurora Tairan Li

Indus

London Design Festival, shortlisted for Beazley Designs of the Year, London

Water Futures, New York, 1st prize

Holcim Next Generation Award, Zurich, 1st prize

Indus is a biologically integrated wall, designed using computational algorithms to create ceramic scaffolds which contain microalgae for bioremediation of polluted water. In a system of interlocking modular tiles, vein-like channels are pressed into clay – inspired by the architectural form of leaves, whose surfaces distribute water evenly – and filled with a seaweed-based hydrogel with microalgae suspended in it. Computational fluid simulations further optimise the water distribution throughout the structure, enabling a more efficient algae-wastewater contact. As waste water flows over the tiles, the microalgae, which can remain active for up to several months, extract heavy metals like cadmium. The reusable tiles can be removed one by one to be maintained and refilled with fresh hydrogel.

Team: