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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Working with the energies of life

Figure 6. Spatialized chemical field produced by electron transfer systems require a different approach to design that move away from objects and
geometries and invite the designer to consider designing with fields, reagents, interfaces that enable electron transfer at the basis of dynamic, metabolic
exchange. Source: Photo courtesy of Rachel Armstrong, Newcastle University, 2015

5. Redox gradients as electron coordinators the limits of molecular expression that are fundamentally
creative and life-promoting.
The third millennium has brought insights into the role
of redox gradients, which occur frequently in natural The production of electrons provides a testable medium
surroundings, exhibiting spatial and temporal variations, that can discuss the materiality of life because it provides a way
primarily observed in soils and aquatic ecosystems. These of describing the flow of electrons and matter that is central
gradients arise from diverse physiochemical factors, such to the behavior of living systems. At the macroscale, electron
as oxygen availability, soil hydrology, chemical species flow appears essentially classical in its overall behavior but at
composition, and microbial activities. In addition, the molecular scale, it also exhibits fundamentally quantum
chemical gradients also exist within cells, which are called characteristics (Al-Khalili & McFadden, 2014). Previously
the intracellular redox potential (McFarland, 2016). These thought to be too hot, wet, and noisy to make use of quantum
gradients are maintained by highly regulated processes and weirdness, quantum phenomena play a non-trivial role
compartmentalized within cells, being essential for normal in biology where biomolecules tunnel through energetic
cell processes (Mallikarjun et al., 2012). These gradients barriers to carry out incredible chemical transformations;
enable the transfer of electrons between molecules in a photosynthesis captures and stores the energy carried by
series of reactions that generate energy through electron photons from the sun and optically induced chemical
transport systems, which plays a key role in the production reactions enable us to visualize the world (Fleming et al.,
of adenosine triphosphate, the energy currency of cells. 2011). By understanding the flow of electricity and matter,
Electrical phenomena are widely recognized as essential we can gain insight into the workings of biological systems at
to many biological processes, such as the transport of the molecular level and potentially develop new technologies
nutrients and waste products, the movement of muscles, and treatments that harness the power of electrochemical
and the transmission of nerve impulses, but all exist within processes to promote and support vital processes.

Volume 5 Issue 4 (2023) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0862