κρύπτω / crypto would something small, invisible to the human eye, create a big and resilient impact? Eleni Maria Dourampei #15103817 MA Architectural Design Academic year - 2016-17. RC7, Bartlett
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After book and online readings on extreme environments and the organisms that live and thrive there, I got interested especially in cryptobiotic organisms. Cryptobiotic comes from the Greek word “κρύπτω”, crypto, which means Hidden. I wanted the purpose of this project to derive from nature. Physiochemical parameters influence our life, pressure, ph, salinity and temperature. One cancels each other’s effects. For me, preserving materials plays a big role for the environment in the long run. I didn’t want to choose an organism that dies in the opposite environment it is compatible with. That’s why I chose crypto-biotic microorganisms to research further (Artemia Salina). [Invertebrates are the ones without bones (nematodes). Rotifers are types of nematodes.] I was more interested into the organisms who have a relation between their tissue and the out environment, like their membrane is playing a role as something like an interface, they don’t just protect themselves, they survive in different environments than the ones they thrive in (Red Algae). After I chose my most favorable organisms to examine further, I started looking into how and if these organisms can interact with each other to preserve materials.
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Extreme Environments - Acidophilic (a) (Red Algae) Tinto River, Spain (b) (Red Algae) Hokkaido dry field, Japan
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(a)
(b)
Extreme Environments - Halophilic (a) (Artemia Salina) Great Salt Lake, Utah, US (b) (Artemia Salina) Elkhorn slough, California, US
(a)
(b)
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Classification of extreme environments
Environment
Stress
Long Term predictability of periodic stress
Short Term predictability of periodic stress
Polar
Freeze Cold
Constant
-
Periodic
Unpredictable
Temperature Desiccation uv radiation Oxygen
Mountains
Deserts
Heat Desiccation
Periodic
Unpredictable
Temperate Winter
Cold Food availability
Periodic
Unpredictable
Deep Sea
Pressure
Constant
-
Neutrophiles* Natural PH
>
Mesophiles*
Moderate Temperature
>
Extremophiles*
Extreme Environments
“Therefore, an extreme organism is the one who tolerates conditions beyond those tolerated by most organisms�1
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Presumption
Cryptobiosis* / Anabiotic organisms Anhydrobiosis* Desiccation tolerance (nematodes)
Osmobiosis* Halophilic* Sainity tolerance (artemia salina)
Cryptobiotic organisms are extremophiles that metabolize rather than survive in mesophilic conditons. When the organism cannot longer sustain metabolistic activity, instead of dying, it ceases metabolism and it enters into an ametabolic dormant state3. “understanding these mechanisms of anhydrobiotic ability, in detail, might enable modification of non- anhydrobiotic cells, tissues, organs, so that they can be preserved in a dried state of suspended animation over long time periods 3” “the substitution of chemical production steps with biotechnological methods could potentially reduce energy use and facilitate the shift to production methods that use renewable new materials 3”
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Pollution on Earth I looked into what pollutes the Earth, our natural environment and then I thought that maybe I can find a way to preserve it in architecture and how I can make building materials last longer in time
Natural Pollutants: Volcano eruptions, Lightning strikes Pollution by Humans: Carbon dioxide, Sulfur oxide, Nitrogen oxide
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Artemia Salina / Sea Monkey / Brine Shrimp • It is feeding with Red Algae and phytoplankWhat is interesting about this organism?
Osmobiotic / Halophilic / Cryptobiotic / Anostraca Salinity resistant egg: 0.2mm / adult: 0.6mm
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ton • It is soft and easily digestible, contains enzymes • It is high in protein, ranging from 55% to 60% protein by dry weight (eggs) • Adults live up to 3 to 4 months • Eggs can live in dormant state up more than 100 years • It originates in hyper-saline biotopes • Adults lay around 300 eggs every 4 days. • They grow quickly, multiplying in weight 500fold in three to four weeks and increasing in size from 450 microns to 1.5 centimeters in length • Flamingos are pink because they feed with Artemia Salina • it obtains food by filtering small particles with fine slender spines, appendages • It can reproduce with parthenogenesis* • It can be resistant in freezing conditions, so it can control the temprature of liquids around it (because of the salt freezing degree )
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Picrofilus oshimae and picrophilus torridus
Balances the acid levels of the enviroment Artemia Salina lives in
Extremophile / Red Algae / Acidophilic - toxic 0.1mm
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Red Algae
What is interesting about this plant?
• It can live up to -15 degrees C • It consumes methane emissions • Its color is red because it uses “phycobiliproteins” and the pigments produced are called “phycobilins” and “phycoerythrin” • it stores inorganic nitrogen in the form of phycobilin pigments (red) • These proteins capture light and help the plant to photosynthesize • When it connects with a mesophilic substance, it has mutations • Picrofilus oshimae and picrophilus torridus can be produced naturally with composting • It acts as a biocatalyser which means that its natural substances speed up their chemical reactions • Picrophilus oshimae and torridus, grow at low PH and survive sulfic acid • It utilizes nitrogen to obtain energy • It is a bioscafold • the majority of red algae contains calcium carbonate, which forms lime stone in the cell walls. Because of this, it does not decay and has a better preserved fossil record • production of calcium carbonate is linked to photosynthetic carbon fixation • some red algae has large vacuoles* in the centers of their cells that produce mucilage* • Photoautotrophy: red algae is self-feeder, using light energy to produce food from carbon dioxide and water. Carbon and nitrogen metabolism • It produces carbohydrates such as digeneaside, which is used to regulate osmotic status of cells in response to drought stress in shoreline environments
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Connecting Artemia Salina with Picrofilus Torridus and Picrofilus Oshimae After researching about these two microorganisms further in books and online, I decided to ask this question: Could these two organisms interact with each other, balancing each other’s needs and environments and help with something else with a possitive outcome? This idea could be possible, as Artmeia Salina is feeding with Red Algae, which is home of Picrofilus Torridus and Picrofilus Oshimae. Also, I thought that Red Algae can play a role as a filter of polluted air , as toxins are its food, the way it gains energy. and it is also tolerant to salt, the natural environment Artemia Salina survives in.
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Jamie North - Artist In 2015 being in Istanbul I visited Jamies North “spoils” exhibition at Tophane Amire Arts Center. He uses the phrase: “what we save, saves us”. He works with structure materials such as concrete, marble, rubble, Oxide, steel, coal ash, oyster shells, recycled glass and several plants and microorganisms. After researching more about him, I was more interested into concrete also because it is the most used material after water on earth. I felt we need to find a way to maintain building material longer.
Succession 2016
Remainder 2016
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IT TAKES MORE THAN PEER PRESSURE TO MAKE LARGE MICROGELS FIT IN When an assembly of microgel particles includes one particle that’s significantly larger than the rest, that oversized particle spontaneously shrinks to match the size of its smaller neighbors. This self-healing nature of the system allows the microparticles to form defect-free colloidal crystals, an unusual property not seen in systems made up of “hard” particles. In 2009, Andrew Lyon, then a professor of chemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology, observed this dynamic resizing in a microgel system he had created, but the mechanism behind the self-healing process remained uncertain. Now, researchers believe they’ve finally solved the mystery, and what they’ve learned could also have implications for biological systems made up of soft organic particles not unlike the polymer microgels. Using small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering techniques, the researchers carefully studied the structures formed by dense concentrations of the microparticles. They also used tiny piezoelectric pressure transducers to measure osmotic pressure changes in the system. Their conclusion: In dense assemblies of microparticles, counter ions bound to the microgels by electrostatic attraction come to be shared by multiple particles, increasing the osmotic pressure which then works to shrink the oversized particle.
INSPIRATION RESEARCH
@thefossilstore, instagram: A specimen crinoidea plate, of exception quality.Displaying six fully articulated crinoid crowns dancing on long segmented stems. These stems science theorises could have been as much as up to 50ft in length on giant types. Also included in this time capsule event is a ball-bowl or foothold, viewed at the upper left edge. This was the weight/float or root of this type of #crinoid, attached at the distal end of the stem/stalk the proximal stem end attached the crown (calyx). In the crown or head the arms covered in cilia pass the food to the mouth (situated at the top of the calyx), in the crown the anus is also situated. A complex animal form dating back to the Devonian period. This type scientifically named as the #Scyphocrinites Elegans Crinoidea. The ‘Scyphocrinites #Elegans Crinoidea’ common name #fossil sea-lily, date back to the Paleozoic era, lower Devonian approximately 420 - 380 million years.. Although this type is #extinct, members of the Crinoidea ‘Phylum #Echinodermata’ family can still be seen in our oceans today.
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THE CITIES OF THE FUTURE COULD BE BUILT BY MICROBES You might be disappointed to hear that some intriguing underwater structures recently discovered off the Greek island of Zakynthos are not part of the lost city of Atlantis. The structures, which resemble colonnades of cobble stones and bases of columns, have an equally fascinating origin. They were actually constructed by microbes gathering around natural vents of methane and forming a natural cement in the otherwise soft sediment. To some degree, these formations are an accident, sculpted by the interaction of the microorganisms with their physical and chemical environments. But they still point to a complex ability not usually associated with simple single-celled organisms less than 0.0002cm in diameter. So if bacteria can grow their own “cities�, could we use them to grow ours as well? Bacterial building is actually more common than you might think. If you rub your tongue across the back of your teeth and find a rough spot between the base of the tooth and your gum you should probably go and see a dental hygienist. But you might also contemplate the fact that you have a city growing on your teeth. The rough patch, known more commonly as plaque, is a biofilm, a complex structure built by bacteria living in your mouth. Biofilms are, in effect, buildings for bacteria. They provide the bacteria with physical protection and (unfortunately for us) protection from antibiotics. They also enable a complex communications network between the bacteria that lets them work together, with different groups of cells performing different functions and even helping control the populations. Researchers are now experimenting with using the building abilities of bacteria in the human world. For example, we can make self-healing concretes that use bacteria to re-mineralise cracks. It is even possible to create bacteria-based bio-cements using a process similar to that which built the structures found in Zakynthos.
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Process of design These images, show the different ideas I had on different microorganisms. I was testing different simulations like, particle systems, combining vector fields to achieve the preferable design.
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Process of design - Red Algae These images, show the an attempt of animation design showing how Red Algae grows.
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Process of design - Artemia Salina This attempt of animation images, is inspired by the movement of the adult Artemia Salinas -of swimming downwards - following a path and the change of their color when reaching 50% salinity levels. It represents one Facade/ Intelligent skin component.
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Design Development
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Facade Detail - Initial Idea
This facade sketch shows its sun hit / dried part and the shaded / humidified part, where water is collected. Using water jet cut technique, I decided to experiment on the facade panel adding a metal “membrane� which will be having openings where the acid rain water will be collected to maintain humidity levels on the panel . It will be having both ambient and artificial ways of change of coloration. One will be by acid rain / rust, and the other will be by the development of the Artemia Salinas living on it.
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Sketch timeline of Water Retention Strategy
Two ways of coloration: (1) Naturally by Artemia Salina development - Ambient (2) Artificially, “polymer screen� acting as a membrane, metallic surface creating rusty color
Exposed to sun light - dry
Artemia salina interacts with Picrofilus oshimae and Picrophilus torridus (Acidophiles) Caenorhabditis elegans and Ditylenchus dispaci (Red Algae). Eggs start to appear.
Shaded - Humid
Acid rain penetrates the metallic membrane
The shaded part of the facade starts getting rusty and the Artemia Salina are growing and more eggs are appearing
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This attempt of animation images shows my idea of how the facade / intelligent skin would look like when all components are connected.
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Physical Models - 3D prints Red Algae inspired model (cut)
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Physical Models - 3D prints
Artemia Salina inspired model (facade component)
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Physical Models - 3D prints
Artemia Salina inspired model (facade)
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Physical Models - 3D prints
Artemia Salina inspired model (facade component) Developed
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Application Hatching of Artemia Salina Eggs Adding vitamins on model > Connection of model with Brine shrimps
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Experiment Artemia Salina Breeding / Connection with model
Zoomed In
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Growth Progress Concrete Panel
GLOSSARY: PARTHENOGENESIS: reproduction from an ovum without fertilization, male being involved, especially as a normal process in some invertebrates and lower plants. CRYPTOBIOTIC: an extreme organism that enters a dormant state when experiencing different environment, like mesophilic EXTREMOPHILIC: An extremophile -“extreme” and Greek philiā (φιλία) meaning “friendship” is an organism that survives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions. MESOPHILES or NEUTROPHILES: organisms that live in more moderate environments ANHYDROBIOSIS: An anhydrobiotic organism is the one which remains at a dormant state and survives in desiccation conditions HALOPHILIC: are organisms that thrive under highly salinity’s environments ACIDOPHILIC: are organisms that thrive under highly acidic conditions OSMOBIOSIS: A form of cryptobiosis triggered by increased solute concentration in the solution in which the organism lives. VACUOLE: a space or vesicle within the cytoplasm of a cell, enclosed by a membrane and typically containing fluid. MUCILAGE: a natural made glue. A polysaccharide substance extracted as a viscous or gelatinous solution from plant roots, seeds, etc., and used in medicines and adhesives. HEMOGLOBIN: a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood of vertebrates. Its molecule comprises four subunits, each containing an iron atom bound to a haem group.
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ONLINE RESOURCES: 1_http://www.eol.org/pages/1020243/details 2_H. C. Bold and M. J. Wynne, Introduction to the Algae: Structure and Reproduction (1985); C. A. Lembi and J. R. Waaland, Algae and Human Affairs (1988); C. van den Hoek, Algae: an Introduction to Phycology (1994). 3_ http://66.media.tumblr.com/de2c0404a99fa6f77e74d9ebba0bc859/tumblr_nzcuh7YyjD1r6o5uxo1_1280.jpg 4_ http://materialsworld.tumblr.com/post/108729136009/laser-patterns-make-anti-rust-metals 5_http://phys.org/news/2016-04-peer-pressure-large-microgels.html 6_http://phys.org/news/2014-04-microgel-based-thermoresponsive-membranes-filtration.html 7_ http://phys.org/news/2016-05-pitt-developed-drug-superbug-biofilms-respiratory.html#jCp 8_http://phys.org/news/2016-05-pitt-developed-drug-superbug-biofilms-respiratory.html 9_http://lifeofplant.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/red-algae.html
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BOOK RESOURCES: 1_L.J. Rogers and J.R. Gallon (1988). Biochemistry of the Algae and Cyanobacteria. New York: Oxford Science Publications. p.298 2_Michael Wigginton and Jude Harris (2002). Intelligent Skins. 3rd ed. USA: Architectural Press, Elsevier Ltd. 3_ David A. Wharton (2002). Life at the Limits : organisms in extreme environments. UK: Cambridge University Press. p.6-11, p. 204-207, p. 246-256. 4_Clive Edwards (1990). Microbiology of Extreme Environments. Stony Stratford: Open University Press, Milton Keynes. p.52-53, p.152-153, p.168. 5_Gerday Charles and Glansdorff Nicolas. Psyciology and biochemistry of Extremophiles. p.261,263,266,267,361. 6_ Axel Ritter, translator: Raymond Peat, Alford (2007). Smart Materials in architecture, interior architecture and design. Germany: Birkhauser. 7_M.V. Gandhi and B.S. Thompson (1992). Smart Materials and Structures. Suffolk: Chapman and Hall.
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IMAGE SOURCES: 1_https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=red+algae&espv=2&biw=1321&bih=926&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0wuqk6ozQAhXKKMAKHRjnAYIQ_AUIBigB 2_ https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=red+algae&espv=2&biw=1321&bih=926&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0wuqk6ozQAhXKKMAKHRjnAYIQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=PICROPHILUS+OSHIMAE&imgrc=_ 3_ https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=artemia+salina&espv=2&biw=1321&bih=882&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHx4nz6ozQAhUlBMAKHTrBDdwQ_AUIBigB 4_ http://cdn.phys.org/newman/gfx/news/hires/2016/1-thecitiesoft.jpg
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