The Mareva Project Combats Sargassum in Guadeloupe
The Mareva project, winner of the "Special Lab" award presented by the Fondation Jacques Rougerie - will be presented during the UNFOLD exhibition organized by the Domus Academy as part of Milan Design Week 2026.
Elora Freudenberger, Laumane Cyprien, Kévin BANSE, Elisa Lastiri, Justice Noémie De Araujo Le Prince and Maïwen Le Roux have been working for months on this project aimed at tackling the Sargassum crisis in Guadeloupe. Their mission? To transform these vast expanses of giant seaweed into a local resource through a comprehensive process (detection, collection, and anaerobic digestion).
This system of connected buoys, designed to anticipate massive Sargassum strandings in Guadeloupe, combines environmental sensors with satellite connectivity. It enables the prediction of the algae’s trajectories and the organization of their collection at sea, by mobilizing local stakeholders. The project illustrates design’s ability to transform an ecological crisis into coordinated collective action, at the intersection of environmental, economic, and social challenges.
This project is part of ATLIC, an Interreg Atlantic Area program co-funded by the European Union. ATLIC supports youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship, offering young people throughout the Atlantic region the opportunity to develop collaborative solutions for the blue economy. Through this initiative, the school reaffirms its role as a committed player in European dynamics, leveraging design as a catalyst for transformation in coastal regions.
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