Living Buildings Announced by Swiss Engineers to Absorb Carbon

Living Buildings are the focus of a research based architectural news release from Swiss engineering teams. The project develops structures that integrate microscopic organisms within building materials to capture carbon from the air. It redefines buildings as active participants in ecological systems rather than static structures. Experts discuss this concept regularly on the architecture platform.

Close-up of 3D-printed bio-integrated facade lattice from Living Building prototype, showing microorganism-activated surface texture and carbon-mineral deposition. — Microscopic detail of the Living Building’s 3D-printed lattice structure, revealing how embedded marine microorganisms precipitate calcium carbonate as a byproduct of CO₂ absorption effectively turning the facade into a living carbon sink. The textured surface demonstrates material performance as an active ecological system. (Image © ETH Zurich / Laboratory for Natural Materials and Bio-inspired Construction)

Building Materials as Active Systems

The project creates buildings using 3D printing. Engineers embed marine microorganisms that convert carbon into minerals and biomass. This process transforms building materials into functional elements. Walls and facades now interact with air, light, and humidity. Researchers document these characteristics in research on environmental performance in architecture.

Architecture as a Temporal Process

This project treats architecture as a dynamic system rather than a finished object. Microorganisms grow inside the structures and change their properties over time. Designers integrate maintenance and operational tasks into the architectural design process. This approach aligns with cities and urban planning debates on building sustainability in dense areas.

Modular laboratory setup for Living Building research, featuring stacked transparent bioreactors with 3D-printed bio-integrated structures under controlled lighting and humidity. — A modular array of bioreactors at ETH Zurich’s research facility simulates real-world environmental conditions to test the carbon-sequestering performance of 3D-printed bio-integrated building components. Each unit contains a living structure where marine microorganisms metabolize CO₂, demonstrating scalable biological architecture. (Image © ETH Zurich / Laboratory for Natural Materials and Bio-inspired Construction)

Environmental Performance as a Design Metric

Each structure absorbs up to eighteen kilograms of carbon yearly. Researchers use this value as a comparative measure in archive studies. Living Buildings serve as experimental models within sustainability frameworks. They complement traditional functional and structural design considerations.

Exhibition and Experimentation Context

Teams presented the models at international events. The framework resembled a design competition format, testing concepts before wider urban use. The project appears in architectural news and provides a reference for experimental design practices.

Biomimetic 3D-printed Living Building prototypes with root-like structural systems, displayed in natural light under timber canopy, showcasing carbon-absorbing bio-integrated facades. — Two full scale Living Building prototypes, developed by ETH Zurich’s Laboratory for Natural Materials and Bio-inspired Construction, demonstrate how architecture can emulate tree root systems to optimize surface area for carbon capture. The layered lattice structure, printed in biocomposite material, integrates marine microorganisms that actively sequester CO₂ transforming static form into dynamic ecological function. (Image © Studio Tomás Saraceno / Courtesy of ETH Zurich)

Professional and Regulatory Challenges

Embedding living organisms in buildings raises questions about control over biological systems, maintenance responsibilities, and legal frameworks. Experts discuss these topics in editorial articles as part of evolving architectural knowledge.

Impact on Architectural Practice

This approach does not replace conventional architecture. Instead, it expands understanding of jobs and functions in contemporary practice. Living Buildings act as experimental models that redefine the relationship between structures and their environment. They influence future construction methods in urban areas.

Architectural Snapshot

The building measures its value by environmental interaction as much as by physical presence in the city

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

This project is the logical outcome of a combination of institutional decisions, economic pressures, and contemporary lifestyle patterns. Analysis of the non architectural data layer shows repeated reliance on maintenance intensive systems and environments dependent on light, water, and nutrients. Within the decision frameworks layer, bio-safety protocols and regulatory approvals restrict conventional design options. As a result, the architectural outcome produces Living Buildings that embed microorganisms within building materials under continuous monitoring and maintenance, while recurring elements interact with air and light. Observations across locations and exhibitions reveal how institutional decisions, regulations, and funding shape building form and operation without aesthetic judgment or designer intention.