In the middle of an increasingly warm and unstable atmosphere, while the race to air conditioners feed consumption and pollution, there are those who try to move against the moment. In India, Ant Studiothe architecture study founded by Monish Siripurapudeveloped a terracotta wall with passive cooling. Its operation? It does not require electricity or chemical refrigerants. Alone water and clayin a system that resumes ancient techniques and suitable for contemporary needs.
Cooling takes place by evaporation
The heart of the system is simple: a form composed of terracotta vasesfilled with water and arranged according to a modular structure similar to a honeycomb. Environmental heat evaporates water, which absorbs thermal energy, helping to lower the surrounding air temperature. It is a physical principle known for centuries, used in the past in different parts of the world to cool closed environments.
Here the technique is resumed and reinterpreted in an architectural key. The result is a Bioispirate walldesigned to be installed in homes, public buildings or schools, in particular in contexts where the heat is extreme and access to electricity is not guaranteed. The system, in addition to cooling, also contributes to filter the airretaining fine dust and microorganisms thanks to the action of water.
No plastic, no energy
The environmental benefits are evident: the wall does not use plastic, and does not produce emissions. Thus responds to one of the most serious problems related to air conditioners: the direct and indirect climatic impact. In addition to energy dependence, the refrigerants used in air conditioners are responsible for a significant share of global emissions, not to mention the damage in the event of escape.
According to theInternational Energy Agencyby 2050 there may be Over 5 billion of air conditioners in use globally. An impressive number, especially considering that today around 2.1 billion circulate. Alternative systems such as the one designed by Ant Studio could reduce the pressure on already fragile electrical networks, offering a low impact method to cool the buildings.
The interesting aspect is that this wall is not just a technical solution. The use of the terracotta as a building material, relaunching a artisan chain put in crisis by the growth of 3D printing and prefabrication. Each terracotta module can be produced locally, creating a system decentralized, accessible and replicable.
