#TEDxTuttle : The Future of Buildings

Martin Hanczyc is working with Protocells – organic computers programmed through chemistry.  Some of them have architectural features – making physical products. You can make shells, or other shapes. She’s showing a demo of what she calls very basic chemistry, as a protocell moves into ferrofluids and creates magnetites…

When they run out of chemical energy or food – they stop. They need very, very narrow environmental conditions. Living technology – contains some, bit not all, the characteristics of living systems. Examples given of pearl-like structures, which consume carbon dioxide. Beginning of a paint for buildings that would absorb CO2.

Could this lead to materials which react to their environment? Could we use it to repair atolls? Could we use it to grow an artificial reef under Venice – make it adverse to light, release it into the canals, it would flee to the foundations, and petrify the supports. 

Can we recreate architecture in a way that supports the environment?