Lidia Ratoi
Algae Pavilion
2025
Bamboo, Fishing net and Algae
Responding to the existing infrastructure linked to Murray House, Algae Pavilion proposes an installation inspired by the traditional typology of the algae roofed houses, present in various European countries with seashore. It reuses local materials, using bamboo scaffolding for structure and old fishermen nets for support. The project brings together in a playful way various historical influences related to the sea and the shore, considering not only the environmental but cultural implications of the built environment
About Lidia Ratoi
Lidia Ratoi is a Romanian-born robotic fabrication researcher, graduated from IAAC Barcelona, and has previously completed her master’s studies in architecture at UAUIM, Bucharest. She is currently working in Hong Kong University, Department of Architecture, her research investigating the pairing of robotic fabrication with the development of bioplastic materials. Her work advocates for an ethical use of technology within the architectural realm, and the discovery of sustainable solutions and materials for design – previous projects including the robotically printed underwater coral environments “Reformative Coral Habitats” and the self-regulating environment 3D printed house prototype “TerraPerforma”. She has previously worked as a researcher at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (KADK), School of Architecture, and has written for publications such as Arch2O and CLOT, and conducted workshops with worldwide computational design association DesignMorphine. She has received Design Trust Seed Grant for her project “Impossible Bricks”.