There are a bunch of reasons why algae is amazing. First of all, algae is one of the most efficient carbon dioxide scrubbers in the air, “with 10 times greater CO2 fixation than terrestrial plants.” On top of that, adding algae to your diet can contribute to a rich, well-balanced nutritional diet. That’s why NASA has been using it as a dietary supplement for years. And although algae seems to be something that we only see floating atop a pond or a lake, it doesn’t have to be something so removed from our lives.
Such is the reason why designer Hyunseok An has created a wall-mounted bioreactor that aims to encourage people to grow algae in their own home. This might sound like a strange idea, but it’s actually pretty cool. The bioreactor, which is called The Coral, is comprised of 16 cubes that fit into a wooden four-by-four grid, with each cube being a culture cell that changes color from transparent to a light, mint green hue and eventually to a dark dourest green when the algae is ready to bee consumed. When fully grown, the cell contains around two grams of algae, the recommended daily intake. The Coral has a bi-weekly cycle, with each cell taking two weeks to replenish after harvesting. This enables users to grow and eat algae every day, using one cell per day.
Beyond scrubbing the air and providing the air, it also looks like a living piece of art. And apparently, it’s not so hard to replenish the algae and help it regrow once you’ve used it up. If this the future of interior design, then those of us at the Optimist Daily are all about it.
