In Living Architecture, author Rachel Armstrong imagines a future with building materials that function as part of living systems, New Scientist Culture Lab reports.

“I have been looking at applying synthetic biology to environmental problems,” she says. “There are two ways of doing this. One is to modify existing biology, such as algae, using extreme environmental techniques. The other is to build artificial cells by mixing ingredients. … I have been looking into materials that exhibit some life-like properties. These ‘protocells‘ are droplets of oil into which we grind a mineral such as calcium chloride, or copper sulphate to make a paste. The oil acts like a slow-release container that lets go of the mineral over time. …

“If buildings were covered in a layer of them, they would act as a sort of smart paint, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When the building got wet the mineral salt would dissolve, react with the carbon dioxide in the rain and produce a deposit of mineral carbonate which would strengthen the bricks. So, carbon dioxide would be removed from the atmosphere and over time and the building would become more robust.”