As all natural cycles start with earth, giving back is an inevitability. Food waste composting is a natural chemical process, with the resulting output of Methane gas and fertilizing material. Combining both outputs seemed to be an obvious yet challenging design choice. Yet, by looking to natural organisms that perform similar functions, Earthworms have proved to be the most relevant in structure, movement and function. Through observation, experimentation and implementation, we aim at investigating the possibilities of creating autonomous earthworms powered by methane gas pressure. These worms would aid at aerating and feeding the soil, through digging and dispersing of nutrients. Furthermore, the structure can develop as a root like structure at maximum inflation that can further aid the bio remediation process of the soil.

MethLab is a project that initially aimed at the production of methane gas through the process of food waste composting. The process started with focusing on Valldaura Labs and how to devise sustainable ways to provide additional energy for heating the campus building. This investigation has lead to multiple discoveries concerning the various uses of methane gas and how it can be utilized in other aspects aside from burning for energy.

The possibilities for use in pneumatics has stimulated a line of investigation that revolves around simple movement. Methane extracted from our composting pixel can be pressurized and pumped through inflatable structures, through calculated directionality and optimized design, causing autonomous movements. This has later lead to the conclusion that utilizing this movement will need to aim at closing the metabolic cycle of the initial design.

Metabolic pixel 2.0: A Cycle within Cycles.

This project focuses on utilising bio-waste in a variety of techniques. The idea is to incorporate IaaC’s city campus and Valldaura campus into one metabolic cycle. Furthermore, this process will aid at benefiting the Valldaura campus with an energy supply through composting food waste from both campuses, in the hills and city. This composting process produces a considerable amount of bio gas that consists mainly of Methane. Through extracting this Methane, energy for heating and cooking can be produced and stored depending on rate of use.

When the composting material is at optimum conditions, the rise in gas production rate results in high pressure. This discovery presented an opportunity to utilise said pressure in various structural aspects. Being able to control the speed and rate of gas production creates the opportunity for manipulation of structure through inflation vs. deflation or expansion vs. contraction. This, in turn, can be used in different scales ie. through combination with PV, Shading devices to create a selective greenhouse effect using minimal gas output to create maximum coverage.

The Metabolic pixel 2.0 aka the “MethLAB” is a small scale composting machine that can be stationed at many locations in Valldaura. In the next few weeks we will conduct further site analysis to select the optimum locations for placement. Using a “satellite” effect, a number of pixels will be placed in said locations and tested. This method will increase coverage and mobility of the structure thus creating a more efficient cycle.

FOOD WASTE  —> STRUCTURE  —->  ENERGY