Designed by National Taiwan University Of Science And Technology students Chen Chien-Hsun and Sun Hsiao-Yu, the Photosynthesis Protective Shell is a UV-resistant shielding space that is capable of absorbing ultraviolet rays from the sun and emitting the captured energy as light during darker hours.
The shell is made up of fibre optic tubes that are filled with green fluorescent proteins. This is what allows the shell to absorb ultraviolet rays and illuminate at night. In addition, the ultraviolet rays can be converted into kinetic energy to open and close the shell for the most optional absorption rate of sunlight.
Inspiration for the shell comes from research published by the World Health Organization explaining that if an individual is exposed to ultraviolet light exceeding the index of three without any sunscreen or shielding, they will suffer from sunburn and potentially other skin diseases.
The Taiwanese designers explain that due to global warming and the greenhouse effect, the ozone layer hole is gradually expanding and therefore, the number of ultraviolet radiation is increasing. They highlight that the ultraviolet rays are particularly severe for countries and regions located between 30 degrees north and south latitude of the equator.
As such, the duo designed the Photosynthesis Protective Shell with the Schuster Park in Queensland, Australia in mind. According to the designers, residents in Queensland experience the highest levels of skin cancer in the world due to the region’s UV index being above seven on average.
All images in this article are courtesy of Chen Chien-Hsun and Sun Hsiao-Yu.
