ecoLogic studio

Regional Algae Farm

Photos: © Sue Barr . + ecoLogic studio

A decaying fishing industry in the Baltic sea and an ageing local polupation call for the introduction of a new type of economic and urban system; the farming of algae has been adopted by ecoLogicStudio as a medium to propose and incubate such new model.

The design approach allows for top down strategies and investments, for the production of biofuelds and other renewable energies, and bottom up initiatives as well as know-how, of the local farmers and fisherman, to be combined in a plan of co-action.
The plan starts from the analysis of the existing environmental and social
potential of the local landscape and illustrates emergent correlations to algae farming. Such hybrid conditions are than articulated in space by proposing new architectural prototypes to be developed across the Osterlen region.

The exhibition on show in the Marine Centre in Simrishamn tests one of these prototypes, the "hanging algae garden", conceived as an interactive public space of cultivation, set in-between the labs of the marine centre, the local office of tourisms and overlooking the old port. The exhibition
features three main components:
-the actual algae garden, featuring the 7 most common algae species in the region, organised and articulated by colour and gradients of intensity. The algae can be cultivated by the visitors by blowing co2 in the photo-bioreactor bags, observe the diverse colours as well as the different ecologies of micro or macro algae with magnifying lenses and finally interact via LED responsive memory system.
- the regional co-action plan is presented via a map on the floor below the garden as well as a Touristic Map of the region presenting the master plan as well as the different type of algae and topographic region which is possible to find at the moment on the local landscape and the proposed prototype that could be develop from these resources.
- the opening was followed by a symposium discussing the various algae related activities already present in the region and due to be integrated in the masterplan, the event was accompanied by an algae based gourmet lunch based on algal varieties present in the garden.