Alsar Atelier and Oscar Zamora create Bogotá fog catcher
Design studio Alsar Atelier and designer Oscar Zamora have created a construction in Bogotá, Colombia, that may accumulate 200 litres of water per week for the area people utilizing a easy construction draped in cloth.
Commissioned by San Luis neighbourhood neighborhood chief Caesar Salomon, the challenge was designed to create an extra water supply for locals.
Alsar Atelier, a studio based mostly in Bogotá and Boston, labored with Nicaraguan designer Oscar Zamora and native official Edison Plazas to create a fog catcher that was constructed from reasonably priced, easy-to-assemble supplies.
The construction consists of a light-weight metal body wrapped in a plastic cloth known as polisombra, which is used to create obstacles round building websites, is broadly accessible and could be repurposed after industrial use.
“Remodeling right into a semi-industrialized building context for the reason that early 2000s, this materials was launched inside the Colombian building system comparatively just lately, and it’s not often used within the casual environments of the nation,” Alsar Atelier founder Alejandro Saldarriaga advised Dezeen.
“Due to this fact, the challenge additionally takes on a essential place on the normal building strategies of the self-built environments of Bogotá, concrete and brick, and introduces a fabric that’s simply assembled, sturdy, with quick building instances, and extra sustainable.”
The development of the construction took 5 days and was carried out by 4 area people members, with out using heavy equipment or concrete.
The studio needed the construction to serve for example of a practical, repeatable answer to the water wants of the neighborhood. It was donated to the neighborhood by the collaborative efforts of the designers, officers and the Colombian Society of Architects.
“The fog catcher, apart from recollecting water and holding a greenhouse, additionally serves for example of low-tech building innovation inside the San Luis Barrio, and helps familiarize neighborhood members with the fabric, and hopefully, they will begin utilizing the sunshine gauge metal body as an alternative of concrete and brick,” Saldarriaga continued.
After the water condensates on the material, it flows in direction of PVC piping on the backside of the construction, the place it might probably later be collected and used for gray water and for agricultural use.
In keeping with Saldarriaga, the system can seize as much as 200 litres of water per week throughout Colombia’s wet season.
The collaborators consider that the prototype will assist alleviate dependence on native utilities with its improve in water provide and has “has turn into a landmark” within the neighbourhood.
“The challenge has additionally offered a possibility for the area people to be taught new building strategies that promote sustainability,” stated the crew.
“This prototype serves for example of resilience inside the self-built atmosphere, showcasing that revolutionary and sustainable building strategies are attainable even in difficult situations.”
Different comparable water-harvesting strategies embrace artist Mary Mattingly’s mesh-based gravity system used for an set up in New York Metropolis meant to filter rainwater to develop crops in addition to a Water-gen’s electricity-based machines which might be utilized in battle zones.
