Mehek Usman

"Submitted here is work from the Engaged Material/Phenomenal Urbanism Studio, an Advanced Research/Design Studio in Pratt’s Undergrad Architecture Program.  The studio brief called on student teams to develop novel low-energy, materials-led strategies for mitigating the phenomena contributing to environmental justice issues in neighborhoods around NYC.  We looked to vernacular and biomimetic precedents to inform our strategies, and digital fabrication and bio-materials for execution.

The project shown here, Algenosphere: Air-purification Of Toxins Via Vacuum-formed Algae Growing Panels Within A Dual-layer Timber Gridshell, was from the Fall 2025 cohort which focused on East Harlem.  

The community of East Harlem has historically faced some of the highest numbers of air pollutants in all of New York City, with long-term effects such as asthma and lung-related chronic illnesses that continue to impact the livelihood of the community today (EJNYC). Research suggests that algae, a fast-growing microorganism, along with sunlight and water, can sequester pollutants in the air efficiently. 

The algae, held in a photobioreactor panel system of cross-braced wooden members and inflated algae ‘pouches,’ receives pressurized air via a trompe pump system that utilizes water from the East River for power. The panels themselves form a topographical needs-based system that stretches across the River’s walkway, providing clean air, seating, and shade to passers by. This large-scale system aims to generally improve the air quality and provide clean oxygen to those using the Harlem River walk/bike path.

Other projects in the studio have explored robotic 3d printed terracotta for evaporative cooling and ventilation of bus stops, hydrogel panels for dehumidification and cooling at sports fields/courts, and mycelium structures for air purification and sound attenuation for parks and play spaces. "