GROW

air algae living on textiles

Algae don´t only live in water. The aerophytes, known as air algae, live on the surfaces of trees, rocks and buildings. Aerophytes gain their nutrients and water from the air. They are perfectly adapted to temporary drought. In combination with indirect sunlight they photosynthesize like ocean algae – but air algae are not only green. If they are cultivated in high concentration in water many more colours show up. These are perfect conditions for designing colourful textiles. The living pigments on curtains indicate the quality of the air in a room by changing their colour intensity depending on the humidity of the air. Additionally, the aerophytes convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.

student:Larissa Siemon
project:microbes II
year:2017