Hacked Air

By 2100, Detroit is projected to be one of the few remaining climate safe havens, making it a destination for surging migration. However, this influx, combined with resource scarcity and deteriorating air quality, places immense strain on the city. The government, acting as the first agent, responds with a top-down intervention: the Institute for the Earth, established in 2050. This dual-purpose facility houses a public library and a research center where scientists prototype air filtration systems. These systems purify air through filters, membranes, and pipes, distributing clean air throughout the building and into exclusive residences for scientists. Though framed as a solution for Detroit’s growing population, the government prioritizes scientists and wealthy residents, leaving the majority without access to clean air.
By 2075, air quality deteriorates so severely that outdoor spaces become uninhabitable without masks. The people, as the second agent, resort to hacking and subversion to survive. They develop biomimetic air-filtering masks powered by microturbines implanted in arteries, harnessing the body’s own energy for filtration. Beyond personal adaptation, citizens appropriate filtration panels from the institute, integrating them into existing HVAC systems in their apartments. These hacked systems not only provide cleaner air but also foster resource-sharing among neighbors, creating decentralized networks of mutual aid.
This grassroots ingenuity exposes a larger political critique: when institutional systems fail the majority, marginalized communities innovate, reclaiming agency to address inequities and survive systemic neglect.