The Spirulina alga is a nutritional plant without equivalent. Usually developed and consumed as an alimentary complement, the “blue algae” – as it was anciently named – is industrially cultivated in many countries where agriculture is difficult and fertile lands are scarce. The cyanobacteria are composed of arthrospira bacteria and are one of the only vegetable protein source containing all amino acids as well as numerous vitamins and antioxidants.
In the culture of the picturesque and romanticism, the folly pavilions referred and sometimes quoted built and natural phenomena to compose their architecture. Scales and forms were deformed, adapted freely to articulate the views of specific landscape compositions. The Spirulina Fountain, similarly, is installed in a birch forest located in a public park of Geneva and dialogues with the context and historical references as a much as it generates food. It functions both as a garden folly and a spirulina production centre.
Spiruline Fountain, Parc des Evaux, Confignon, Geneva
Program: fountain
Architects: Bureau A
Construction work: professional construction training center (CFPC), Ivan Denkinger, Luc Tissot, and students from atelier AFP (carpentry)
Completion: 2014