The inspiration for the Canadian installation comes from a self-reflection of the reliance on indoor micro-climate systems in the building sector at the expense of the wellbeing of our planet. The designers were struck by the overwhelming reality of current climate change predictions, and the urgent need to address the rapid growth in inefficient and carbon-intensive buildings.

The world’s urban population is expected to surpass 6 billion by 2050, and an estimated 2 billion new homes are projected to be built over the next 80 years. Considering that heating, cooling, and ventilation in buildings currently account for almost 12% of global CO2 emissions, it is estimated that by 2050 mechanical systems’ energy use will grow by 80% generating billions of tons of CO2 into the environment. To keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5oC, current emission levels - including those generated from heating and cooling - need to be dramatically reduced, even with the growth in population and new buildings.

Visitors will be presented with two metal air ducts crossing over the gallery. The exaggerated ducts are made from reflective golden aluminum to induce a sense of awe and splendour, but also to trigger personal reflection towards a common threat.

'DUCkT' forces the viewer to duck beneath, touch, hear, and feel the objects responsible for our thermal comfort, experiencing both scenarios: the desirable warmth and coolness, linked to the unpleasant acoustic pollution and physical discomfort, as an analogy for our current way of building.

Revery’s design aims to spotlight Canada’s reliance on artificial heating and cooling systems due to the country’s diverse climate, and the necessity to question its viability in the future. There is an immediate need to address the rapid growth in inefficient and carbon-intensive buildings and to bring answers to some pressing questions: Are we over-using technology just because we can? Are we willing to accept varying indoor temperatures that respond to seasonal changes? Can architecture fundamentally shift away from its reliance on mechanical systems and the vast energy currently required to make buildings habitable? Should we continue to rely on these systems to create comfortable yet ineffective internal micro-climates at the expense of our planet?