What role does technology play in confronting the greatest existential crisis humanity has ever faced — climate change? And how does the aesthetic of technological systems shape our trust in their credibility and function? Within the scientific community, it is increasingly assumed that global warming can no longer be halted without technological intervention. At the same time, a capitalist-driven society embraces such solutions under the promise that our lifestyle must not be sacrificed. Yet which technology could ever be capable of fulfilling such a task?
CLYMERA Inc. is Marcel Rickli’s artistic response to these questions. Conceived as a fictional Greentech company, CLYMERA adopts the language, aesthetics, and promises of real-world green-tech enterprises. Its product portfolio revolves around advanced geoengineering approaches — large-scale technological interventions aimed at counteracting climate change — such as Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation Management (SRM), presented with the confidence, precision, and visionary rhetoric typical of the sector. Through deliberately polished design, claims of scientific integrity, and assertions of environmental harmlessness, CLYMERA mirrors the seductive logic of technological solutionism.
Alongside its conceptual framework, the project is grounded in hands-on design practice. Rickli developed and built both devices — SEQUESTER, an algae-based photobioreactor for carbon capture, and CRYOMANCER, a machine designed to restore glacial ice as a speculative SRM strategy — entirely by hand. Their development involved iterative prototyping, mechanical construction, and material exploration. Through photography, Rickli amplifies the aesthetic presence of these objects, presenting them as persuasive artefacts of a future-oriented design culture. In the interplay between object making and visual research, the project examines how form and engineered aesthetics shape our belief in the promises of the so-called technofix — and the quiet unease it provokes.
Positioned between reality and fiction, technological hubris and hope, CLYMERA Inc. reflects the human desire for control over an increasingly unstable planet. The project exposes how deeply the belief in technology as a moral and ecological authority is ingrained — and how fragile this faith becomes in the face of planetary complexity. Ultimately, CLYMERA Inc. questions whether such visions offer true solutions or merely generate new forms of belief.
CLYMERA Inc. is Marcel Rickli’s artistic response to these questions. Conceived as a fictional Greentech company, CLYMERA adopts the language, aesthetics, and promises of real-world green-tech enterprises. Its product portfolio revolves around advanced geoengineering approaches — large-scale technological interventions aimed at counteracting climate change — such as Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation Management (SRM), presented with the confidence, precision, and visionary rhetoric typical of the sector. Through deliberately polished design, claims of scientific integrity, and assertions of environmental harmlessness, CLYMERA mirrors the seductive logic of technological solutionism.
Alongside its conceptual framework, the project is grounded in hands-on design practice. Rickli developed and built both devices — SEQUESTER, an algae-based photobioreactor for carbon capture, and CRYOMANCER, a machine designed to restore glacial ice as a speculative SRM strategy — entirely by hand. Their development involved iterative prototyping, mechanical construction, and material exploration. Through photography, Rickli amplifies the aesthetic presence of these objects, presenting them as persuasive artefacts of a future-oriented design culture. In the interplay between object making and visual research, the project examines how form and engineered aesthetics shape our belief in the promises of the so-called technofix — and the quiet unease it provokes.
Positioned between reality and fiction, technological hubris and hope, CLYMERA Inc. reflects the human desire for control over an increasingly unstable planet. The project exposes how deeply the belief in technology as a moral and ecological authority is ingrained — and how fragile this faith becomes in the face of planetary complexity. Ultimately, CLYMERA Inc. questions whether such visions offer true solutions or merely generate new forms of belief.
The CRYOMANCER provides an industrial-grade response to this challenge by restoring glacial ice and supporting local surface mass balance. Engineered to enhance albedo, the system represents a next-generation approach to Solar Radiation Management (SRM). Built from high-durability materials, it is designed for continuous operation in demanding alpine environments and functions fully autonomously. Solar-powered and supported by an external battery pack, the CRYOMANCER ensures reliable long-term performance.
A suite of integrated sensors and cameras enables real-time remote monitoring and adaptive operation. Light and temperature measurements optimise energy usage and activate standby protocols below 4°C. In each cycle, the unit collects meltwater, refreezes it into structured ice elements, and returns them to the glacier surface.
Under favourable conditions, a single device produces a substantial amount of ice per day; deployed in coordinated arrays, it can significantly reinforce glacial resilience. Modular components, upgrade options, and secure remote maintenance ensure long-term operability. Compact and efficient, the CRYOMANCER sets a new benchmark for climate-intervention technology.
At the core of SEQUESTER is a photobioreactor that cultivates fast-growing microalgae capable of absorbing CO₂ from the air. The algae circulate through a 20-metre reactor array composed of transparent acrylic tubing engineered for optimal mixing and maximum light exposure. Full-spectrum LEDs ensure stable growth conditions, while an adjustable bypass system allows users to regulate flow and minimise mechanical stress.
SEQUESTER is compatible with standard CO₂ flasks, enabling controlled diffusion of carbon dioxide into the system for continuous absorption. Under regular operation, the device produces a significant amount of biomass each week, which can be harvested, stored, or processed into secondary applications such as biofuels or cosmetics.
The unit is technically prepared for participation in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) and includes the necessary systems to issue regulated CO₂ certificates once the corresponding authorisation is granted. An integrated automation suite and direct payment module are available on request. SEQUESTER includes a five-year warranty on mechanical components and is available exclusively in matte black — a dependable and forward-oriented step toward carbon removal.
Converging Waters – Kumo, Kawa, Kōri, 2025
World Expo Osaka 25, Swissnex Exhibition Space, Osaka, Japan
Curated by Irène Hediger & Flurin Fischer
Scenography by Daniel Hunziker
ZAR – Graduation Show, 2025
Kunstraum, Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland
Swiss Design Awards (SDA), 2026
Halle 1.1, Messe Basel, Switzerland