Seaweed, the lagoon and the city

In the waters of Venice, various algae species are thriving due to tourism and climate change. Seen both as indicators of environmental shifts and as valuable biotechnological resources, algae are gaining attention for sustainable applications. In 2021, Atelier LUMA organized a workshop to explore the local potential of algae. A key focus was the work of one group that collected abundant species like Ulva and Sargassum and experimented with creating algae-based pastes for 3D printing. This low-tech, locally rooted approach highlights the material relevance of algae in the Venetian context and opens new pathways for sustainable, site-specific production.