Overview
- Three news outlets reported this week that Andrin Stocker and Luc Schweizer of the University of the Arts Zurich introduced Blocº, a prototype modular brick system that aims to cool public spaces.
- Blocº cools by passing hot air through porous 3D‑printed terracotta that holds water so evaporation removes heat, a process the designers say can lower local air temperature by up to about 9°C in favorable conditions.
- Each module includes small solar‑powered fans and a design that captures and reuses rainwater so the system can run without grid electricity or refrigerant gases.
- The project remains at prototype stage and the team is seeking full‑scale urban pilots to test performance under real conditions, including wind, humidity, heavy public use and vandalism risk.
- Experts note ceramic production involves printing, drying and firing that can take weeks for custom pieces, and the next tests will determine whether Blocº can be produced and maintained at the pace needed for public deployment.