Page 94 - JCAU-5-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Regenerative algal futures

in liquid in a photobioreactor, or robotically extruded with Lack of breathability, power, recycling of liquids, urine
hydrogels (Malik et al., 2020). processing, food, and lack of oxygen will facilitate the needs
Fundamentally, a species that can adapt to harsher of projects, such as living architecture on earth (Hogle et al.,
climates will benefit bioregenerative systems. Algae has 2023) or MELiSSA in space. Newer hybrid technologies that
been used in many studies and show positive signs of being mirror the bioregenerative life support systems in space are
the optimum organisms to produce oxygen. On Earth, being speculated for use on Earth. The addition of Sabatier,
algae produce 50%–80% of the world’s oxygen through Bosch and biohybrid engineered architectures embedded into
2
capturing carbon and creating oxygen by photosynthesis the structures of the built environment on Earth can benefit
(Pennisi, 2017). Studying the organism in extreme bare-life the future of bioregenerative algal architecture. These types of
conditions, allows us to gain insights into how microalgae systems could enable failure-proof methods in living in harsher
revitalize air through PBR devices in differing environments. anthropogenic environments or on multiplanetary surfaces. It
Oxygenic production and CO sequestration needs to be is important to acknowledge that bioregenerative algal systems
2
evaluated. It is important to consider that oxygen is not are complex and continuously evolving. Working with living
the only primary gas that humans require, as a heady mix organisms such as microalgae in environmentally fragile
of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases allow the human and atmospheres on Earth, or for surviving in multiplanetary
nonhuman to thrive in varying environments. alien atmospheres, will require high levels of maintenance
of bioregenerative systems. For efficient bioregenerative
10. Conclusion systems, it will be fundamental to carry out further research
Bioregenerative systems are being implemented into failure-safe systems, which are hybridized and fully
and speculated primarily for space applications and autonomous. In the future, bioregenerative algal architectures
multiplanetary surfaces. A large number of possibilities are will enable physiochemical human and nonhuman “closed
being considered, such as incorporating and hybridizing loop” life support systems — supporting the necessities of life
bioregenerative cyanobacteria systems with bioleaching and existence on multiplanetary surfaces.
on Mars (Verseux et al., 2016), creating new breathability
scenarios, extravehicular activities, and much more. Acknowledgments
While it is good to think of novel ways of interaction with Thank you to Professor Marcos Cruz (UCL), Dr. Brenda
multiple species and habitats on multiplanetary surfaces, Parker (UCL), and Professor Saul Purton (UCL) for their
it is especially necessary to visualize how bioregenerative academic guidance and support in the writing of this paper.
algal architectures will enable adaptation to harsher
environments. On Earth, there are many current and Special thanks to Mark Garcia from the Bartlett School of
speculative projects incorporating algal walls and structures Architecture (UCL).
into the façades of buildings. However, it is important Funding
to consider that bioregenerative algal architecture
encompasses structures that are multifunctional and None.
“closed loop” or “partially closed loop systems”. Conflict of interest
When constructing a bioregenerative algal architecture,
the algal species “aligned with” must be managed with care The author declares that the research was conducted in the
to ensure provision of nutrients. Exchange of resources and absence of any commercial or financial relationships that
many factors need to be considered, as when “designing could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
with life” things can go drastically wrong — such as lack
of light, dust storms, power failures, and more. Mitigation Author contributions
measures and “contingency” plans are required in the case This is a single-authored article.
of an operational bioregenerative system failure.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
2 The National Ocean Service, U.S. Department of
Commerce, state that 50 – 80% of the world’s oxygen Not applicable.
is produced by drifting plants, algae, plankton, and
photosynthetic bacteria such as Prochlorococcus Consent for publication
which produces 20% of the oxygen in the biosphere. Not applicable.
Anthropocentric issues such as hypoxia create
dead zones, where life in the oceans cannot thrive, Availability of data
including eradication of algae and any life systems;
this is called hypoxia – dead zones. Not applicable.

Volume 5 Issue 3 (2023) 12 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.179