Mangesh Kurund
Mangesh is an architect with a Master’s in Bio-Integrated Design from The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. His work explores the intersection of architecture and living systems, focusing on bio-receptive cladding that transforms building facades into ecosystems. Through his project Bio-Clads, Mangesh is developing lightweight, self-irrigating tiles that cultivate moss and algae, promoting urban greening, carbon sequestration, and natural cooling. He is dedicated to scaling these innovations into commercially viable solutions that foster biodiversity and help cities combat climate change.
Cities account for nearly 70% of global carbon emissions and face rising temperatures and declining biodiversity, making urban sustainability an urgent priority (United Nations Environment Programme).
Mangesh is addressing this challenge through Bio-Clads, a self-irrigating bio-receptive cladding system that transforms building facades into living ecosystems. These modular tiles support the growth of moss and algae, enabling carbon sequestration, air purification, and natural cooling—turning architecture into an active contributor to environmental health.
With the support of the Swarovski Foundation's Creatives for Our Future programme, Mangesh is developing functional prototypes and testing them in real-world conditions. The grant provides funding, mentorship, and a global platform to help him refine his design, explore sustainable materials, and scale production for commercial viability.
Driven by a vision to redefine the relationship between architecture and nature, Mangesh combines bio-mimetic design and regenerative principles to address climate change. His work aims to inspire architects, developers, and city planners to integrate living systems into urban environments, creating resilient cities that support biodiversity and sustainability.
“My project offers a solution that transforms building facades into active contributors to sustainability. Unlike existing green wall systems, which often rely on heavy mechanical irrigation, my design introduces a passive self-irrigating mechanism inspired by the natural water flow in leaves and tree barks.”
Mangesh Kurund
