Students of Tunghai University in Taiwan have been recently nominated for the Green Concept Award 2022 for their C-Ecology project. Run by non-profit organization Green Future Club, the Green Concept Award recognizes and felicitates sustainable materials, products and services which are not yet available in the market. Encouraging designers, researchers, start-ups and design studios, the award aims to promote sustainable products and replace them with non-sustainable ones.
The students designed a 3D printed ceramic coral-reef-like formation that can shelter water organisms, thereby enhancing the marine ecosystem. Named C-Ecology, the project aims at establishing a new wetland ecosystem that can adapt to rivers of all sizes and depths. The modular system comprises a basket that is placed on the surface of the water and below, thereby creating a hollow ceramic hexagon. The environment-friendly 3D structures, resembling coral reefs, provide nutrients. These artificial coral reefs welcome marine life such as shrimp, shellfish and other organisms to inhabit. This is also expected to increase water circulation.
The proposed project will also help establish a balance among the three aspects of hydrophilicity, environmental beautification and ecosystem in urban rivers. Although the idea had been conceived on the urban rivers of Taiwan, the students claim that it can be modified to fit rivers of any region.
Image credits: Green Product Award