Posted on: 13th March 2019
Envisioning the Moon Village
In the summer semester 2018 the design studio Space Architecture: Envisioning the ‚Moon Village‘ took place at the Vienna University of Technology, Departement of Building Construction and Design, in cooperation with the European Space Agency. An accompanying publication, which was released in 2019, describes the working process and developed projects.
digital publication out now!
editor: Sandra Haueplik-Meusburger
published by: Vienna University of Technology – HB2
results of: Space Architecture Design Studio SS2018
featured image: “On the Moon Campus astroscientists train for their missions”
(c) MoonVillage Design Studio, HB2, TU Vienna, project Moon Campus by Baris Dogan, Julia Oblitcova
Moon Village
In 2016 Director General of ESA Jan Wörner, introduced his idea called ‚ Moon Village ‘ about future possibilities for international cooperation for human space flight.
„If I say Moon Village, it does not mean single houses, a church, a town hall and so on. No, that would be misleading. My idea only deals with the core of the concept of a village: people working and living together in the same place. And this place would be on the Moon.
In the Moon Village we would like to combine the capabilities of different spacefaring nations, with the help of robots and astronauts. The participants can work in different fields, perhaps they will conduct pure science and perhaps there will even be business ventures like mining or tourism. […] A village starts with the first house.“ (Wörner, ESA)
design studio at TU Vienna
Taking up this idea, thirteen projects for potential habitats and scientific research stations on the Moon were developed from March to June at the Vienna University of Technology.
In the first part of the studio the conditions, requirements and constraints of building and living on the Moon were analysed and researched and the idea of the Moon Village was reflected upon.
On this basis, hypothetical scenarios for a Moon Village were found. This course was accompanied by theme-specific lectures and workshops with space experts.
For selected scenarios, students developed architectural projects on the lunar surface, incorporating the technical, environmental and operational requirements and presenting the multi-cultural and open concept of the Moon Village.
The studio’s main feature was the communication of knowledge about the marginal conditions for designing and building in extreme environmental conditions, especially on the Moon. Such extreme physical, psychological and social conditions require a high quality of design, strategy and implementation.
The involvement with such requirements promote a change of perspective, which encourages new solutions for such design challenges.
On June 26 2018 a concluding event took place at Vienna University of Technology, where the
Developed projects were presented to the public and provided with valuable input by space experts.
A panel discussion with lectures by space experts concluded the design studio.
The accompanying booklet, which was published in 2019, presents the working process, workshops and lectures by the experts and published the resulting projects for the Moon Village.
Consultants / Lecturers / Guest Critics:
Manuela Aguzzi (Space Application Services), Marlies Arnhof (ESA YGT / TU Wien), Miriam Dall’Igna (Foster + Partners), Norbert Frischauf (OffWorld), Bernard H. Foing (ESA), Gernot Groemer (OEWF), David Kendall (ISU), Franz Kerschbaum (University of Vienna), Christian Köberl (NHM, Uni Wien), Christopher Lasseur (ESA), Irmgard Marboe (University of Vienna), Piero Messina (ESA HQ, Strategies Department), Nakamuri Rumi (OEAW), David Nixon (Astrocourier), Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu (cosmonaut, Russia),), Franz Viehböck (cosmonaut, Austria)
Students:
Aydar Günes, Baliuk Polina, Brock Theresa, Dogan Baris, Drageljevic Nadja, Elzahaby Mohammad, Esat Sehi, Frych Tetiana, Garber Alexander, Hofer Mathias, Imamovic Amila, Ioannou-Naoum Alexandros, Lehr-Splawinski Katharina, Kerber Sabrina, Klug Daniel, Koncar-Gamulin Lovro, Krhen Domagoj, Meulli Martina, Mion Marta, Mrkajic Aleksandar, Oblitcova Iulia, Palantöken Leona Asrin, Panturu Irina, Redl Bernhard, Rychtarik Patrick, Sekeres Simon, Slivnjak Luka, Valente Marius, Veyseloglu Emirhan, Wittek Daniel Can, Yilmaz Gözde.
article by HB2 at TU VIENNA (Space Architecture Studio SS2018)
