Canadian design studio Revery Architecture Inc. presents DUCkT, a temporary installation representing Canada at Somerset House for the 2021 London Design Biennale.

A play on the words “duct” and “duck”, the DUCkT installation seeks to explore the reliance of our cities and buildings on mechanical heating and cooling systems.

Revery Architecture says that the installation’s inspiration came as a self-reflection of our dependence on indoor micro-climate systems in the building sector?often at the expense of the wellbeing of our planet. The team was 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 percent of global CO2 emissions, it is estimated that by 2050 mechanical systems? energy use will grow by 80 percent, generating billions of tons of CO2 in the atmosphere. To keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C, current emission levels – including those generated from heating and cooling – need to be dramatically reduced, even with the growth in population and new buildings,” says Revery.

At the DUCkT installation, visitors are greeted by ...