A carefully selected planting palette was curated to maximize airborne contaminants absorption, with approximately 1800 new plant being planted, this prototype could approximately absorb a maximum of 831.150 kg CO2/year with the existing tree.
Utilizing passive environmental principles, the upper module employs the stack effect to reduce the concentration of airborne toxins produced by smoking. As warm, contaminated air rises, it is naturally drawn upward through the module—allowing time and space for partial filtration and dispersion before the air is released back into the public environment. This system helps reduce the concentration of pollutants, making the surrounding air cleaner and more breathable.
Integrated into the top of the module a rainwater harvesting system is integrated. It functions as a rain catcher, collecting water during rainfall and redirecting it to irrigate the vertical garden incorporated into the structure. This creates a closed-loop system that not only supports greenery in dense urban settings but also reinforces the design’s environmental responsibility through low-tech, sustainable solutions.
Addressing material waste at its source, the base module of the design utilizes recycled cigarette butts as a core material—responding directly to the overwhelming amount of cigarette waste generated annually, estimated at 824,588.4 kg per year. Rather than allowing this waste to accumulate in landfills or pollute the environment, the project proposes a small-scale circular economy where the byproduct of a prevalent social habit is transformed into a functional architectural element.
By integrating this material into the construction of seating, paving, or modular components, the design becomes more than just a space—it becomes a prototype for sustainable systems that reuse waste to support and sustain the very activity that produced it. In this way, the architecture retains, grows, and adapts, creating a feedback loop that gives environmental value to social behavior.