MIT-energy-night-poster

Abstract:
Limited natural light in working/living indoor spaces of dense urban environments often causes mental and health disorders such as decreased productivity, depression, women’s cycle patterns irregularities. This research develops a series of architectural devices called Photodotes (=light donors) that transmit natural light energy from outdoor spaces to under-light indoor spaces through fiberoptic cables. This poster presents an experiment that used Photodotes to grow plants in water containers in a dark gallery at MassArt, Boston during Winter 2012. Through collecting, transferring, and emitting natural light, Photodotes helped plants to absorb energy in order to develop. Plants were used both as a model system for living organisms, but also for their potential function to become food energy sources themselves. Through this chain, Photodotes become a greenhouse environment that offers light energy in dark places, proposing a new type of sustainable architecture.  Photos in the poster by: Dominic Tschoepe