Biomorphic Living System: Towards Carbon-Negative Zhengzhou

The Biomorphic Living System redefines the relationship between architecture and ecology, positioning the building as a living engine within the city. Conceived for Zhengzhou, a rapidly expanding urban and industrial hub, the project responds to urgent pressures on energy, food, water, and waste by proposing a carbon-negative prototype for future development.
At the heart of the design is an algae-based system that captures carbon dioxide, produces biomass, and generates renewable fuel. These bioreactors transform facades, roofs, and circulation cores into productive surfaces, absorbing pollutants while creating clean energy. The bio-fuel and by-products are cycled into the wider urban network, supporting Zhengzhou’s Aerotropolis and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The architectural system combines modular structural components with ecological performance. Its metabolic skin recycles water, provides shading, and integrates vegetation to nurture biodiversity. The building adapts over time, expanding or repairing itself through plug-in units that respond to shifting social and environmental needs.
More than a technical experiment, the project is designed as a catalyst for cultural and environmental transformation. It proposes new forms of collective living, improves public health through cleaner air and energy, and reconnects rural production with urban consumption. By embedding biomes into the city, the Biomorphic Living System demonstrates how architecture can evolve from carbon consumer to carbon-negative generator—turning climate action into a spatial and cultural experience that is both visionary and achievable.