Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the key features of Poland’s recently opened eco-friendly bus station. Architects from Tremend Studio incorporated TiO2 into anti-smog paving stones to neutralise exhaust fumes at the station in Lublin, exploiting its photocatalytic properties to transform toxic fumes into water and nitrates.
Using TiO2 to neutralise toxic fumes is a cost-effective and attractive way to tackle air pollution and is becoming a popular environmental addition to urban architecture projects.
Lublin’s Integrated Intermodal Metropolitan Station is located in the city centre, where air pollution is a significant issue. Architects used plants and recycled materials in the station’s designs, creating a highly aesthetic look reminiscent of Singapore’s Garden by the Bay. Unsurprisingly, some media outlets have already dubbed it Poland’s most beautiful bus station. In 2019, the station’s design was shortlisted by one of the most prestigious architectural competitions – World Building of the Year.
At the time of the nomination, president of Tremend Studio, architect Magdalena Fedorowicz-Boule, said: “The project is a response to problems related to environmental protection and city life, such as smog, water and energy consumption and noise. It is an image of how we perceive the role of ecology in architecture.”
