Space Architecture

Forty years on from the first moon landing, architecture in Space is entering a new era. Over the last decade, there has been a fundamental shift in the Space industry from short-term pioneering expeditions to long-term planning for colonisation, and new ventures such as Space tourism. Architects are now involved in designing the interiors of long-term habitable structures in Space, such as the International Space Station, researching advanced robotic fabrication technologies for building structures on the Moon and Mars, envisioning new 'space yachts' for the super-rich, and building new facilities, such as the Virgin Galactic 'Spaceport America' in New Mexico designed by Foster + Partners. Meanwhile the mystique of Space remains as alluring as ever, as high-profile designers and educators – such as Greg Lynn – are running designs studios drawing upon ever more inventive computational design techniques. This issue of AD features the most significant current projects underway and highlights key areas of research in Space, such as energy, materials, manufacture and robotics. It also looks at how this research and investment in new technologies might transfer to terrestrial design and construction. Space architects: Constance Adams, Marc Cohen, Ondrej Doule, Sandra Häuplik-Meusburger, Scott Howe, Brent Sherwood, Madhu Thangavelu, Andreas Vogler, Robert Zubrin. Architects: Bevk Perovic Arhitekti, Dekleva Gregoric Arhitekti, Foster + Partners, Neil Leach, Greg Lynn, OFIS architects, SADAR + VUGA.

This collaborative book compiles 30 chapters on the theory and practice of designing and building inhabited environments in outer space. It is rich in graphics including diagrams, design drawings, digital renderings, and photographs of models and operational designs.

Domestic Architecture and the Use of Space investigates the relationship between the built environment and the organisation of space. The contributors are classical and prehistoric archaeologists, anthropologists and architects, who from their different backgrounds are able to provide some important and original insights into this relationship.

The design of a building is a complex process in which the architect develops spaces which are defined by a number of different parameters. The most important of these are space requirements, distances, furniture and fittings, and movement zones. From the dimensions of the human body it is possible to derive guide values for these reference sizes that make spaces comfortable to be in and to use. Spaces in Architecture is a useful reference work for students and designers for quickly looking up detailed information on space scenarios that occur in many different types of buildings. For example, the book lists all important dimensions for entrance areas, doors, staircases, ramps, and elevators. On the basis of this fundamental information it is possible to design buildings in terms of function and type.

For many, the idea of Space Architecture as a discipline lies in the domain of science fiction, where everything is possible simply because it happens 'very far in the future'. Is Space Architecture a fiction or reality? This book explores if and how architectural principles and strategies need to be transformed when applied to the extreme conditions of outer space. It presents concepts developed by great minds in the fields of space exploration and science-fiction, ones which can inspire new ways into the future. The book also presents the philosophy of Space Architecture, arguing for example that the design of space habitats needs to be human-centred while defining ways for humans to co-exist in new environments. These views are complemented by examples of architectures from current and planned space missions, organised by private companies as well as government agencies.

This significant reader brings together for the first time the most important essays concerning the intersecting subjects of gender, space and architecture. Carefully structured and with numerous introductory essays, it guides the reader through theoretical and multi-disciplinary texts to direct considerations of gender in relation to particular architectural sites, projects and ideas. This collection marks a seminal point in gender and architecture, both summarizing core debates and pointing toward new directions and discussions for the future.

This book considers two key educational tools for future generations of professionals with a space architecture background in the 21st century: (1) introducing the discipline of space architecture into the space system engineering curricula; and (2) developing space architecture as a distinct, complete training curriculum. Professionals educated this way will help shift focus from solely engineering-driven transportation systems and “sortie” missions towards permanent off-world human presence. The architectural training teaches young professionals to operate at all scales from the “overall picture” down to the smallest details, to provide directive intention–not just analysis–to design opportunities, to address the relationship between human behavior and the built environment, and to interact with many diverse fields and disciplines throughout the project lifecycle. This book will benefit individuals and organizations responsible for planning transportation and habitat systems in space, while also providing detailed information on work and design processes for architects and engineers.

"Architecture on the moon is no longer a naive fantasy dreamt up by space-flight pioneers. In fact, various building typologies for lunar architecture have emerged in recent years. Their prototypes are being tested in hostile regions on Earth and are waiting to be deployed on the moon. This book's publication marks the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the moon. It examines all artefacts that we have sent to the moon, from bizarre technologies to habitation modules for astronauts. This architectural guide thus offers a full retrospective of the history of lunar missions, from the space race during the Cold War through to the missions being prepared by China, India, and Israel in the present day. All of these are considered under the rubric of architecture. At the same time, efforts to commercialise space travel have come to the fore in recent years. New players have entered the stage, competing to utilise the moon's vast and untouched resources. This book also presents essays by and interviews with space experts, including a discussion with Galina Balashova, renowned architect of the Soviet space programme, and a piece by Alexander Glushko, son of Valentin Glushko, legendary head engineer of the Soviet space programme. Brian Harvey, Gurbir Singh, and Olga Bannova provide an insight into current and future developments in lunar architecture, writing on China, India, and the US, respectively" -- DOM Publishers.