Underwater Superhero Headquarters

Should Sea Stars of STEM reach its
$33,000 Tipping Point Goal (a new Australian record for SSG!), the funds will be used to create Asterias - the ultimate underwater superhero headquarters - utilising biomimetic design principles.

Biomimetic Design

One thing’s for sure; Asterias (the Greek name for Sea Star) will look like it belongs on a sci-fi film set, not in a glossy home magazine. The finished creation will be a dwelling beyond our wildest dreams. The underwater
headquarters will utilise a minimal material, low cost modular building system called
SPACEPLATES. The SPACEPLATES building system is a result of an on-going research project into the use of "pure plate structures" by our Design Team:
N55 in collaboration with Anne Romme (architect) and
Anne Bagger (structural engineer).

Unlike Buckminster Fuller's well-known and well-tested domes where the number of different parts is kept at a minimum, the SPACEPLATES building system takes advantage of contemporary technology to mimic more complex naturally
occurring geometries. For example, Tik’s SPACEPLATES structure will be based on the sea urchin geometry, where hexagons of increasing size form a sphere. Your level of support will determine the number, size (Small, Medium and Large) and type (w/ or w/o a
window) of steel hexagon plates that will be added to Asterias.

Should Sea Stars of STEM reach its
$60,000 Total Funding Goal, the funds will be used to grow a calcium carbonate sea urchin shell, or “test”, over the hexagon steel plates using the process of mineral accretion (Biorock®).
This will transform Asterias into a work of Seascaping Architecture: the science and art of marine environmental restoration.

Biorock®

In 1981, the late German-born futurist architect, inventor, and marine scientist

Prof. Wolf Hilbertz patented a remarkable new technology whereby he demonstrated that he could build solid structures (known today as Biorock®) out of raw seawater combined with a low voltage direct current.

Inspired by the fact that corals and snails make their skeletons and shells from chemicals dissolved in seawater, Prof. Hilbertz saw that if calcium carbonate could be grown out of seawater in any size or shape that one desired,
then self-assembling artificial islands could be grown in the sea.

In this process, a shape is built out of wire mesh, dropped into the ocean, and connected to a supply of low-voltage direct current (completely safe for swimmers and marine life). On one side is the cathode (-ve) and the
other is the anode (+ve). As the current runs through the shape, electrolysis is established – oxygen is generated on the anode and hydrogen at the cathode in the expected two to one ratio. Over time, electrochemical reactions precipitate dissolved minerals
from the sea to the wire mesh, creating walls of ever thickening calcium carbonate, which eventually become solid enough to hold air! Thus, out of power generated by the sun, wind or waves, structures can be constructed underwater in any shape imaginable and
then be filled with air.

The development of Biorock^® technology evolved when Jamaican biogeochemist and marine biologist Dr. Thomas Goreau (President of the

Global Coral Reef Alliance), heard of Prof. Hilbertz’s work and invited him to the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory to collaborate on applications towards protecting coral reefs. Within months, corals were found to grow up to three to five times faster than
normal, along with large amounts of white limestone sand-producing “calcareous” algae.

During their 20-year partnership, the duo publicly introduced a new up and coming profession: Seascaping Architecture, the science and art of marine environmental restoration. Dr. Goreau recently published a book titled “Innovative
Methods of Marine Ecosystem Restoration”, which is the first presentation of their revolutionary new methods for restoring damaged marine ecosystems. It provides experimental proof that mild electrical stimulation results in increased settlement, increased
growth, and reduced mortality for a wide variety of marine organisms (e.g., corals, oysters, sponges, seagrasses, and salt marsh grasses).

Timeline and Location

Our aim is to start building Asterias in early 2014. Once completed later in the year, it will be moved to its final launch site on Queensland’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef
OR another suitable location (most likely in South East Queensland) depending on the results of permit applications. We’ll be sending updates to keep all of our supporters informed of our progress.

THANK YOU

With your help we can protect our future and our children's future by encouraging young people to pursue STEM studies and careers, to conserve Australia’s unique marine biodiversity and to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

If you are a student and would like to be part of the video below, record a clip of yourself saying, "Let the challenge begin" and send it to [email protected] along with your details (name, grade, school and location).