The Errant Æsthete

Vincent Callebaut’s Anti-Smog: An Innovation Centre in Sustainable Development is an ecological marvel, a self-sufficient entity that reacts to its environment and applies avant-garde renewable energies to purify the air of nasty Parisian smog. Labeled a “didactic prototype of ecological experimentations”, the center (or “centre”) is a linear and emblematic site suspended above Paris’ canal de l’Ourcq that was envisioned as a place to educate French citizens on the importance of urban ecology and renewable energy.

Boasting 250 square meters of solar PV that produce more energy than the building uses, the “Solar Drop” structure is also coated with titanium dioxide, which reacts with the suns’ ultraviolet rays to create a photo-catalytic effect that actually breaks down smog in the air. It also harvests rainwater from the roof for use inside. Connected to the Solar Drop by bridge, the “Wind Tower” is a helical structure captures and utilizes the breeze coming off the canal. MORE…