The Pelagos Sanctuary is a complex and intricate ecosystem, where the creatures that inhabit the sea, but also the sky and the land, such as the thousands of birds that cross it during migrations, create an extraordinary exchange, giving life to a unique landscape. This landscape is under a pressure from microplastic pollution comparable to the garbage islands found in the oceans
Sweep Island supports biodiversity and cleanses the seas
Sweep Island is a research project on an artificial island capable of supporting marine life and collecting microplastics in the Pelagos Sanctuary, a special protected marine area in the North-West Mediterranean established in 1999: the point with the most biodiversity in the Mediterranean
Hence the idea of creating an artificial island capable of supporting marine ecosystems and, at the same time, collecting microplastics in order to provide accurate data on the conditions of the marine environment for biologists and scientists. Sweep Island, designed by Renna Studio, is a prototype for a new type of resilient water infrastructure that combines design expertise, advanced 3D printing production, and marine biology
The prototype consists of two main parts. The first is the actual island, made with a wooden structure that contains soil and plants, particularly coconut palms and agave plants for their ability to withstand strong winds, providing habitat for various animal species. Underwater, the island features a topography of inverted hills with peaks and valleys of varying sizes, creating the perfect habitat for different types of invertebrates, mosses, and plants. This underwater landscape contributes to promoting biodiversity
The other crucial part of Sweep Island is the plastic collector: an intricate 3D-printed system with various permeability gradients positioned 5 meters below the water surface, where most of the plastic dispersed at sea accumulates. Made from recycled resin, the collector, inspired by coral formations, is designed to gather submerged waste of various sizes without interfering with or harming marine life
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