bloc° – Modular cooling system
for urban heat islands
Collaboration with Luc Schweizer
Collaboration with Luc Schweizer
More frequent heatwaves are turning city squares, transit stops, and playgrounds into dangerous «urban heat islands.» In Zürich alone, pedestrian areas can exceed surrounding temperatures by >8 °C, stressing public health and discouraging outdoor life.
Global studies estimate that heat‑related mortality in cities could triple by 2050. How might we keep dense urban spaces comfortable and accessible—without energy‑intensive air‑conditioning or complex infrastructure? We identified highly sealed plazas and mobility hubs as the critical pain‑points: if these nodes stay habitable, the whole urban network remains livable.
bloc° is a low‑tech, modular cooling system that passively lowers ambient air by up to 9 °C. Each 3‑D‑printed terracotta brick contains two internal chambers—one stores up to 0.8 L of water, the other channels airflow. A small solar panel (≈200 Wh day) powers a fan and pump that wet the porous bricks; evaporation plus guided airflow deliver a constant cool breeze.
A 6.5 m² funnel roof harvests an average of 24 L of rainwater per day, while a 300 L tank and smart sensor guarantee autonomous operation for five rain‑free days. At peak, bloc° consumes just 56 L of water on a >30 °C day—less than one‑third of an average Swiss resident’s daily use—making it a sustainable, relocatable micro‑climate solution for public space.
Global studies estimate that heat‑related mortality in cities could triple by 2050. How might we keep dense urban spaces comfortable and accessible—without energy‑intensive air‑conditioning or complex infrastructure? We identified highly sealed plazas and mobility hubs as the critical pain‑points: if these nodes stay habitable, the whole urban network remains livable.
bloc° is a low‑tech, modular cooling system that passively lowers ambient air by up to 9 °C. Each 3‑D‑printed terracotta brick contains two internal chambers—one stores up to 0.8 L of water, the other channels airflow. A small solar panel (≈200 Wh day) powers a fan and pump that wet the porous bricks; evaporation plus guided airflow deliver a constant cool breeze.
A 6.5 m² funnel roof harvests an average of 24 L of rainwater per day, while a 300 L tank and smart sensor guarantee autonomous operation for five rain‑free days. At peak, bloc° consumes just 56 L of water on a >30 °C day—less than one‑third of an average Swiss resident’s daily use—making it a sustainable, relocatable micro‑climate solution for public space.