MO - Ventilation Vases

Developed in 2019 as a core element of the award-winning Mo de Movimiento restaurant in Madrid, the Ventilation Vases represent the studio’s commitment to "low-tech" innovation and energy efficiency. This project reimagines traditional adiabatic cooling—an ancestral technique used in Mediterranean cultures—to create a sustainable, aesthetic, and highly functional air-conditioning system for a large-scale commercial space.

The design team conceptualized these hanging terracotta vessels as the "cooling hearts" of the restaurant. Each vase is handcrafted using traditional pottery techniques and functions as a natural heat exchanger. By utilizing the porous nature of terracotta and the evaporative properties of water, the system cools the incoming air without the need for high-energy-consuming industrial machinery. This approach not only reduces the project's environmental footprint but also adds a sensory, organic quality to the interior atmosphere.

Technically, the Ventilation Vases are integrated into a complex network of fans and water pumps. Warm air is forced through the damp surface of the ceramic, where the evaporation process naturally lowers the temperature before the air is distributed throughout the space. To ensure future circularity and ease of maintenance, the studio designed the installation to be fully dismountable: the vases are suspended from a technical ceiling grid made of reclaimed steel construction mesh, using simple rope knots and steel wires, avoiding permanent adhesives.

As part of the Mo de Movimiento project, the Ventilation Vases exemplify the studio’s "proximity architecture" philosophy. By merging craft-based solutions with thermodynamic engineering, the team successfully transformed an old theater into a space that "breathes," proving that traditional knowledge can offer powerful answers to contemporary climate challenges in the built environment.