This enormous air purifier sucks smog from the air, turns it into cubes

By Kelly Hodgkins September 9, 2015

After visiting Beijing and experiencing the effects of smog first hand, the folks at Studio Roosegaarde were inspired to do something about this form of air pollution. For three years, the team worked on an indoor smog remover prototype, and now they are ready to take the project to next level. Led by Daan Roosegaarde, Studio Roosegaarde is raising funds on Kickstarter to fund the creation of the Smog Free Tower, the world’s largest outdoor air purifier.

The Smog Free Tower will be built in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and will be travel around the world visiting cities where air pollution is a known problem. Powered now by wind power and possibly solar in the future, the tower will provide residents of these metropolitan areas with a small zone of very clean air that they can enjoy. The air in these “Smog Free Parks” is 75% cleaner than the polluted air in the rest of the city. By experiencing fresh, clean air, Studio Roosegaarde hopes to raise awareness about the problem of smog.

Studio Roosegaarde

The Smog Free Tower is designed to be a zero wastes machine recycling the collected smog particles in Smog Free Cubes. The tower used patented ion technology that’ll remove the smog particles from the air. As a tangible reminder of smog, the Tower each day will collect and compress enough smog particles to form 3500 Smog Free Cubes. These cubes will be harvested and turned into a piece of jewelry, such as a ring or cufflinks. With enough time and pressure, the carbon in the dust can even be turned into a diamond.

The Smog Free Tower Kickstarter project is in its final week of fundraising, thus far accruing 971 backers who have pledged more than $83,000 towards the project. Those who have supported the project can receive a Smog Free Cube, a Smog Free Ring and other swag depending on the chosen funding level.

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Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…

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