What are architectural probiotics?

Architectural probiotics, and the idea that buildings have immune systems, is a concept architect and professor Ted Krueger is exploring. He thinks that architects should focus on designing buildings around the human scale AND the microbial scale. ⁠
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Our bodies are teeming with bacteria, of course, and we are constantly shedding them into our surroundings. It might be gross to think about, but we essentially leave little clouds of bacteria, skin cells, and hair everywhere we go. So you, and the people you live with, leave a very unique "microbial signature" in your home. ⁠
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A lot comes in from the outside, too: homes in the Pacific Northwest have a lot of moss and cypress DNA in them, for example. ⁠
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We know that having a healthy, diverse microbiome in our own bodies is beneficial, so why not benefit it by creating a healthy home microbiome? Krueger suggests research on indoor plants, adjusting the air flow direction of HVAC systems, and using building materials that favor proper acidity and humidity conditions could all be potential solutions.⁠
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More on home probiotic sprays and anti-bacterial cleaning supplies tomorrow. ⁠

Photo by Claire Takacs.
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