Corsi-Rosenthal Box, 2023
Lasko 3733 box fan, MERV-13 filters, duct tape
23 × 20 × 20 inches
DIY air purifiers are widely used by individuals seeking to improve indoor air quality outside of institutional or commercial systems. The Corsi–Rosenthal Box was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic by engineers Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal as a low-cost, open-source response to airborne viral transmission in schools, homes, and other shared indoor spaces. Constructed from readily available materials: a Laska box fan, Merv-13 filters, and duct tape, the design prioritizes accessibility.
Studies have shown that the Corsi–Rosenthal configuration achieves a clean air delivery rate of approximately 600 to 850 cubic feet per minute, rivaling or exceeding many commercial air filtration units at a fraction of the cost. Beyond reducing viral particulates, the system has proven effective in filtering wildfire smoke, urban air pollution, and pollen.
Installed within the gallery the work points to a shift in responsibility for environmental safety, from centralized infrastructure to individual or collective intervention. It raises questions about who bears the burden of protection when institutional systems are insufficient and inaccessible.
Lasko 3733 box fan, MERV-13 filters, duct tape
23 × 20 × 20 inches
DIY air purifiers are widely used by individuals seeking to improve indoor air quality outside of institutional or commercial systems. The Corsi–Rosenthal Box was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic by engineers Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal as a low-cost, open-source response to airborne viral transmission in schools, homes, and other shared indoor spaces. Constructed from readily available materials: a Laska box fan, Merv-13 filters, and duct tape, the design prioritizes accessibility.
Studies have shown that the Corsi–Rosenthal configuration achieves a clean air delivery rate of approximately 600 to 850 cubic feet per minute, rivaling or exceeding many commercial air filtration units at a fraction of the cost. Beyond reducing viral particulates, the system has proven effective in filtering wildfire smoke, urban air pollution, and pollen.
Installed within the gallery the work points to a shift in responsibility for environmental safety, from centralized infrastructure to individual or collective intervention. It raises questions about who bears the burden of protection when institutional systems are insufficient and inaccessible.