PURE PLANTS

Barcelona, 2022

Project: Pure Plants.

Location: Barcelona, Spain.

Author: External Reference; Carmelo Zappulla.

Team:  Sebastian Amorelli, Elena Mitrofanova, Anton Koshelev.

Collaborators: LAMÁQUINA by Noumena.

Photography: External Reference.

Pure Plants is a family of 3D-printed plants using PURE.TECH is the result of research carried out by our  External Reference, in the field of experimental design and new materials. The manufacturing of the plants was carried out by our partners, LAMÁQUINA by Noumena, a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing center led by innovative sustainable 3D printing solutions for the architecture and design sector.
Together with our partners, we developed the world’s first tree with PURE.TECH technology that absorbs CO2. It was a Christmas Tree made of an intelligent biomaterial capable of absorbing more than 15 kg of CO2 per year through photolysis. Taking this first product as a starting point, today the Pure Plants family shows different species.
The design of Pure Plants follows the principles of biomimicry. Each plant presents an intricate geometry inspired by the natural phenomenon of the phyllotaxis pattern, artistically interpreted and transformed or modulated by means of parametric instruments. Air purifying 3D printed sculpted plants bring the perception of nature to any space while incorporating the primary function of natural plants in the environment: CO2 absorption. The Pure Plants product series, which includes 17 different sizes and design options, accommodates the user’s budget, needs, and aesthetic preferences. The product is completely safe and has no electrical plugs or chemical applications. It arouses the user’s curiosity and offers and represents the function of a healthy natural environment in a design product.
The nature-inspired design of Pure Plants and its function as an air-purifying sculpture, made using optimized manufacturing processes, is a statement product that raises environmental awareness in both the design and consumer arenas. When used, Pure Plants provides healthy public and community spaces, while raising awareness around the issues of material waste, air pollution, and the value of the natural elements around us.
The 3D-printed Pure Plants product line varies in shape, geometry, and therefore air purifying surface that is capable of absorbing and neutralizing CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to PURE.TECH material is an advanced polymer composed of 100% natural minerals that have the property to absorb CO2 and purify the air we breathe.
For its production, a bioplastic polymer made with corn dextrose (sugar) has been mixed to achieve a 100% natural mineral compound that has the property of capturing and mineralizing the main greenhouse gases and pollutants that we find in the atmosphere.
By applying PURE.TECH on large surfaces can trigger a positive impact on our environment. Several studies and certifications show that PURE.TECH has the capacity to absorb the main greenhouse gases and 1000 sqm of product can represent the same amount of absorption of 8 trees over 30 years old. The material is manufactured with a low carbon footprint, to ensure efficiency throughout the entire life cycle, from production to application.
PURE.TECH material applied to the filament used to print Pure Plants and all its derivatives are studied in a controlled environment and has more than thirty studies and certifications that demonstrate its characteristics and impact capacity. Absorption capacities are measured using samples placed in vacuum chambers filled with a high concentration of CO2e. We install sensor devices equipped to measure the concentration of GHG that are implemented in uncontrolled environments such as stores, streets, and homes, among others. By crossing laboratory and spatial data, the absorption performance of PURE.TECH and its applications are estimated after being introduced into specific sites and locations previously monitored by sensor devices.
Additionally, each part is produced using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), an extrusion-based 3D printing technology that requires less energy than other manufacturing techniques, as well as eliminating additional material consumption generated by mold manufacturing. The construction materials used in FDM are biodegradable thermoplastic polymers and are presented in filament format. Therefore, the product is fully recyclable. It can be crushed and re-formed into paddles or into an extruded filament format.