photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona’s air

'free air' infrastructure cleans air to the equivalent of taking 80 cars off the streets of barcelona.

D Knoblauch edited by christina vergopoulou May 16, 2023 4 min

‘Free Air’ contributes to Barcelona’s environment

Designer Daryan Knoblauch constructs ‘Free Air’ installation for MODEL Barcelona Architectures Festival, a structure for the public collecting Nitrogen dioxide from the air. The construction serves as a gathering machine that ‘devotes its space to the element that connects cosmic dust with the lung that we carry within our body, air’, as well as a meeting place to discuss present and future energy issues in the architectural field.

Designed as a performative infrastructure, ‘Free Air’ contributes to Barcelona‘s environment through its reflective surface which harvests NO₂ from the air. The temporary pavilion focuses on the invisible qualities of air promoting the contemplation, measuring, and understanding of a natural resource which due to the amount of man-made pollution is threatening the health condition of all citizens alike. Due to its photocatalytic coated texture, the structure purifies and improves the air condition wherever it is placed, creating a place of encounter for the current generation and the generations to come.

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 1 — the installation’s side panels are slightly tilted to absorb as much light as possible | all images by José Hevia

the installation’s coating skin produces photosynthesis

The pavilion is conceived as a research-by-design project and unfolds its means through various material strategies. ‘Lightness, consistency, and performativity are defined as the underlying design qualities for a new millennium and allude to the spatial manifestation of ‘Free Air’ as a reversible, scalable and sustainable structure’, comments the architect.

The reflective, perforated surface is carried by a reusable structure that supports several gadgets, like mirrors, solar panels, and water collectors, allowing it to interact with its surroundings in visible and invisible ways. The skin of the installation harvests particular matter such as nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides, and carbon oxides, since its coating produces photosynthesis when exposed to light and therefore cleans itself and its surrounding environment throughout time. Air and its quality are measured and communicated through several technical installments outside and within the installation, through led ticker stripes that count the amount and quantity of purified CO₂ particles, screens within the pavilion that locate the pollution of air within Barcelona, and presentations that expose how the subject matter is addressed within other disciplines including photography, fashion, music and pop culture at large.

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 2 — ‘Free Air’ is a performative infrastructure that collects Nitrogen dioxide from the air

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 3 — the structure improves its environment by purifying air due to specially treated textiles

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 4 — ‘Free Air’ reacts to various ecological deficits via water collectors, air chimneys, and other measuring tools

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 5 — several ‘Free Air Benches’ have been designed to allow the public to gather and discuss

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 6 — the pavilion changes over the day, from reflective in the morning, to permeable, to translucent by night

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photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 7 — the electrical components are fed by solar panels mounted against the truss structure

photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 8 — the installation can be entered through four triangular portals

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photocatalytic texture coats performative infrastructure purifying barcelona's air - 9 — at night, the installation transforms into a bright shining, and active gathering spot for the public

constructed out of rented truss components the pavilion can be quickly assembled and dissembled the structure leaves no trace after being deconstructed and can be assembled in various shapes and forms air cushions are filled with air out of every neighbourhood in Barcelona before bringing them back to the pavilion

project info:

name: Free Air
designer: Daryan Knoblauch

location: Barcelona, Spain

photography: José Hevia

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