For the next nine months, caretakers at the Canada Pavilion of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale will focus on something extraordinary: the walls. The installation, Picoplanktonics, features 3D-printed structures filled with living cyanobacteria. These organisms need just the right light, humidity, and temperature to thrive. If they don’t flourish, the whole project fails.
Meanwhile, in a lab several kilometers away, scientists have been observing similar cyanobacteria in a hydrogel for over 400 days. A study published in Nature Communications details their dual carbon sequestration process: these organisms continued capturing carbon dioxide without much intervention after just nutrient replacement.
The cyanobacteria aren’t just getting by; they’re altering their environment over time by creating calcium carbonate, which reinforces the hydrogel’s structure.
Understanding Carbon Capture
The Nature Communications study breaks down two ways these cyanobacteria capture carbon. First is biomass accumulation: as the cyanobacteria grow, they convert CO₂ from the air into organic matter through photosynthesis. The second method, microbially induced carbonate precipitation, involves the bacteria creating conditions that cause dissolved minerals to solidify as carbonates.
The study found that the living materials captured about 2.2 ± 0.9 milligrams of CO₂ per gram of hydrogel in the first month. After 400 days, they had secured a total of 26 ± 7 milligrams per gram. The hydrogel used was specially designed to allow both 3D printing and light transmission, helping the cyanobacteria thrive.
Controlling the environment for the cyanobacteria is essential for both the Biennale exhibition and the lab experiments. Caretakers will be present throughout the installation to ensure the organisms stay alive, showcasing the future of regenerative architecture.
Real-World Applications
The Picoplanktonics exhibit represents a significant innovation in architecture. Developed over four years by the Living Room Collective, it illustrates how architecture can be integrated with living systems.
Andrea Shin Ling, the lead architect and biodesigner, explains that the goal is to reimagine how we build our environments using natural processes. The experiment also tests whether these living materials can be sustained over several months instead of just days.
Using data from the lab, the project reveals the challenges necessary to implement such materials on a larger scale. A metric ton of hydrogel could sequester about 2.2 kilograms of CO₂ each month under optimal conditions. Considering current manufacturing limitations, achieving meaningful results on a broader scale will be challenging.
Comparing Historical Context
Historically, carbon capture technology has predominantly relied on industrial methods that are energy-intensive. Living materials, on the other hand, require no external energy and create no harmful byproducts. This passive approach sets a new standard for sustainable building materials.
However, the research indicates that biological methods may be slower compared to industrial processes. For example, traditional methods often face environmental concerns, while cyanobacteria-based techniques do not rely on harmful compounds.
Long-Term Prospects
Though promising, neither the lab results nor the architectural experiment can yet answer how these materials will hold up over decades. The study mentions that biomass growth tends to plateau after around 25 days. This raises questions about whether we can extend their ability to capture carbon over time.
Interestingly, the minerals formed in the hydrogel may strengthen the materials, but we need further research to confirm how reliably this can be replicated in construction.
Overall, as we explore innovative materials like Picoplanktonics, we may find paths toward more sustainable building practices, integrating life directly into our structures.
The world is watching as these advancements unfold, and social media is buzzing with excitement about the potential shift towards more eco-friendly approaches to architecture and urban design.
