China’s Movable Air-Purifying Skyscraper - Myth or Reality?

China’s air pollution problem is well documented. In fact, Chinese power plants emit as much NOx as all the passenger cars in the world. Consequently, many scientists and designers have suggested solutions, such as an enormous sealed bubble containing a clean air supply for Beijing among them.

Recently, however, architect Alexander Balchin suggested something new and potentially viable - a roving skyscraper complete with an enormous air filtration system. While this may sound like the stuff of a science fiction novel, with air pollution increasing across China, the idea is being taken rather more seriously than you may think. As China has industrialised, associated levels of pollution have soared, causing major concerns about environmental and human health. Air pollution, in particular, is a major issue. In 2012, Zhong Nanshan, president of the China Medical Association, warned that air pollution was likely to become the most serious threat to human health in China, causing lung cancer and cardiovascular disease across the nation.

How does a skyscraper move?

Balchin’s skyscraper encompasses a number of individual modules, which could be taken apart and transported to polluted towns and cities across China. In theory, each module could then cleanse one square mile of polluted air before being relocated again.

Sucking in air at its base, the tower would capitalise on the forces generated, using them to power turbines and generate energy. The energy generated would then be used to filter out polluted air particles and ionise the air. Using this method, it is thought that the tower could purify over eight million litres of air each year.

As well as the complicated mechanics of air purification, the tower would also house office, residential and commercial spaces, and a number of beatific “sky gardens”. The air in these internal spaces would be cleaned by a separate water filtration system (named “venturi scrubbers”).

Problems and solutions

Naturally, a number of key questions remain. For instance, how polluting would the modular transportation process be? And how much pollution would be generated in the initial construction of the tower? Furthermore, would the residential and commercial units inside the tower cause additional environmental issues for China?

Increasingly, such multi-function designs are appearing at international design events, suggesting our unwillingness to address the root causes of air pollution may yet spawn a number of ingenious solutions.

Reality or fantasy?

Although Balchin’s designs have been shortlisted for several awards, there are no plans to actually build his movable, air-purifying tower. This does not mean his extravagant design serves no purpose, however. Arguably, the more we consider the pollution problem in China, the closer we come to finding a real solution.

In recent years, the Chinese government has become more conscious of its pollution problem and is taking tentative steps towards implementing more environmentally-friendly industrial processes. However, when it comes to economic and industrial growth, the nation shows little sign of slowing down. Could ideas like Balchin’s represent a middle way? Potentially. But until such structures are actually constructed, it’s difficult to tell just how effective they will be at reducing levels of pollution in the air.

Recently, China and the US, the two biggest carbon emitters in the world, have both signed a deal that will see them reduce emissions and help towards the fight against climate change. The deal will see eight new projects started by the China-US Climate Change Working Group, with help from research bodies and companies. There is hope yet.