In Arles, France, a new tower designed by famed architect Frank Gehry features elements made from salt, sunflowers, and algae to lower its carbon footprint.
Both the salt and algae are sourced from the nearby Rhône river. Salt crystals were grown on metal mesh in an energy-less process to form panels, says Jan Boelen, artistic director of Atelier Luma, which developed the processes. Leftover algae was used to make 30,000 injection-molded tiles in 20 colors, and a ground floor bar uses sunflower waste in acoustic panels. “If you have concrete spaces, one of the problems is acoustics,” Boelen tells dezeen. “You can use polystyrene foam or another foamy material made from fossil fuels. But you can also use the leftovers of sunflowers.”
Gehry previously told dezeen he had taken environmental issues into account as best as he could, although details of the tower’s carbon footprint are undisclosed. “I respond to every f*cking detail of the time we’re in with the people we live with, in this place,” he added.