WHAT IT NEW YORK CITY THRIVED ON ALGAE

Manhattan, 2016 Fall
Hybrid Infrastructure




With the sea level continually rises over decades, most of the power generation plants and water treatment plants in New York City were flooded and not able to function anymore. By 2050, the overall capacities of electricity and water were reduced to around ten percent of the nowadays', so did the delivery system, aged and confronted great challenge of climate change and energy vulnerability. Algae bio-cathodes, as an emerging technology dealing with the salt water desalination and algae biomass accumulation for electricity generation, helped develop new strategies to feed New York City. Based on the Manhattan urban grid, supplementary distribution system was established and replenished by the high-rising algae towers, an innovative type of fresh water and electricity generation plant.