spirulina fountain by bureau A acts as cultivating garden folly in geneva
photo © dylan perrenoud
all images courtesy of bureau A
the ‘spirulina fountain’ by bureau A constitutes a hybrid, fusing the production basins of the intense blue-green algae with contemplative italian gardens of the 16th century. more specifically, the form and dimensions of the project quote the water cascades of the villa aldo brandini built in 1550 in frascati, 20 km southeast of rome.
the spirulina is harvested in small basins
photo © dylan perrenoud
(left) water, dioxide, minerals and light are all important factors in cultivation
(right) the water in the basins closely mirrors the surroundings
the material is a nutritional plant without equivalent. usually developed and consumed as an alimentary complement, the ‘blue algae’ – as it was anciently named – is industrially cultivated in many countries where agriculture is difficult and fertile lands are scarce. the cyanobacteria are composed of arthrospira bacteria and are one of the only vegetable protein source containing all amino acids as well as numerous vitamins and antioxidants.
harvesting is done with fabric filters where the algae is trapped
photo © dylan perrenoud
the fountain dialogues with the context as a much as it generates food
photo © dylan perrenoud
in the culture of the picturesque and romanticism, the folly pavilions referred and sometimes references built and natural phenomena to compose their architecture. scales and forms were distorted, adapted freely to articulate the views of specific landscape compositions. similarly, the fountain is installed in a birch forest located in a public park of geneva and dialogues with the context and historical references as a much as it generates food. it functions both as a garden folly and a spirulina production center.
the cultivators aerate the water into a froth
photo © dylan perrenoud
(left) the cultivator skims the algae from the top
(right) spirulina grows until the water becomes saturated and blue-green colored
photo © dylan perrenoud
the form and dimensions of the fountain quote the water cascades of the villa aldo brandini built in 1550 in frascati
photo © dylan perrenoud
architectural plan
project info:
title: the spirulina fountain
designers: bureau A
photography: Dylan Perrenoud
construction work: professional construction training center (CFPC), ivan denkinger, luc tissot, and students from atelier AFP (carpentry)
plants (english/latin): spirulina – arthrospira platensis
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