Air Column

Air Column is an elegant, passive urban device designed for Logroño – the first permanent architectural installation in Spain, and one of the earliest in Europe, that actively cools the surrounding space while purifying the air, creating a true “climate island” in the heart of the city.

Shaped like a slender, semi-transparent chimney, it works entirely without electricity, using the proven principle of the solar chimney. Sunlight heats the air inside the column, causing it to rise and drawing in cooler air from the shaded base. This natural convection continuously pulls large volumes of urban air through TheBreath®, an innovative fabric that captures CO₂, NOx, particulate matter and other pollutants. A wide canopy provides shade, while a shallow water mirror at ground level – fed passively by nearby fountains – cools the incoming air through evaporation, noticeably lowering perceived temperature on the hottest days.

Four planted beds of native, air-purifying Mediterranean species (rosemary, thyme, lavender and santolina) surround the base, enriching the microclimate and adding fragrance and texture.