User submission

469.3K

Indian Designers Built A Genius Air Conditioner That Works Without Electricity, And It Can Save Lives

Air conditioners may be contributing to global warming, but in blazing hot countries like India, they’re simply a necessity during the summer. Ant Studio, a design company based in New Delhi, has built a boundary-pushing structure that cools the air without using a single watt of electricity – and looks like a modern art installation at the same time.

Pairing up with Deki Electronics, also based in India’s capital, the Ant Studio team used a circular metal frame to bind hundreds of terracotta clay tubes, creating the Beehive. When soaked, the terracotta tubes absorb the water, and evaporate cool breezes as warm air pushes through them. It’s low maintenance, economical (due to the low cost and high availability of clay), and kind to the environment. “As an architect, I wanted to find a solution that is ecological and artistic, and at the same time evolves traditional craft methods,” Monish Siripurapu, founder of Ant Studio, told Arch Daily.

Feasible, functional, and fashionable, the Beehive is truly cutting-edge. Would you have one installed in your home? Scroll down to see it for yourself, and tell us the comments at the end.

More info: Ant Studio, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Indian Designers Built A Genius Air Conditioner That Works Without Electricity, And It Can Save Lives

469Kviews

This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

Read less »

This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

Read less »

What do you think ?

POST

Emre 7 years ago

As an engineer, I must ask, where does the water come from? And how did you manage to avoid waste of water, and how did you circulate the wasted water without using any electric motor pump or something?

26points

Cassie 7 years ago

According to the website, they used a motor to pump water recycled from the factory over the clay structure, so the blip here on Bored Panda is a bit misleading.

15points

Load More Replies...

John L 7 years ago

Emre, this entire post is so misleading. The cooler is outside, and uses the building's exhaust air to cool down the surrounding air OUTSIDE the building. Not inside. Amazing: go figure.

10points

Joseph Mummerth 7 years ago

solar power could be used to pump the water , and the water is`nt wasted , it evaporates into the environment , as water does in nature every minute of every day ! lol that`s where rain comes from ! we live in a closed system that has been working for 4.5 billion years !

1point

Cassie 7 years ago

My thought was that it looked pretty tall, so how do you get up there to water it and how frequently does it need to be wetted.

1point

Jorga Riggenbach 7 years ago

In general I like the idea but I think in an area like Southern Arizona you might have to treat the water so the mineralization wouldn't be so bad. Here, in a season, the pipes would be covered. Wouldn't the buildup of calcium and magnesium compromise the ability of the clay pipes to absorb water?

2points

Cassie 7 years ago

This is a nifty take on what is often referred to as a swamp cooler. If they can make it practical for the surroundings, it's a pretty neat idea.

1point

Cindy Putman 5 years ago

A wind, solar and/or water wheel could power the pond water over the top and add more ART to the structure.

0points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

POST

Emre 7 years ago

26points

Cassie 7 years ago

According to the website, they used a motor to pump water recycled from the factory over the clay structure, so the blip here on Bored Panda is a bit misleading.

15points

Load More Replies...

John L 7 years ago

Emre, this entire post is so misleading. The cooler is outside, and uses the building's exhaust air to cool down the surrounding air OUTSIDE the building. Not inside. Amazing: go figure.

10points