Fourteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

New conceptual frameworks are evolving as we move towards deep space exploration; the design of stable habitats capable of sustaining life is therefore becoming essential. The variances between the natures of the atmospheres and landscapes, the constraints of mobilizing materials, combined with conceptual and ethical challenges arising from humans’ immigration from Earth, render the design of such complex constructions a remarkable challenge (physical and theoretical). This study overviews the challenges and outcomes of a unique design seminar dedicated to the possibility of inhabiting Mars. This initiative is a collaboration between Bezalel Academy’s Graduate Program in Industrial Design and D-MARS space analog research center, located at Ramon Crater. The goal is to inspire and encourage designers and inventors to advance new ideas and technologies for extra-terrestrial habitation. We focus on the following challenges, considering design projects working not just on the individual level, but on what the collective is and may be: 1.Habitat - Team designs a sustainable shelter for a crew of 4-6 astronauts, using a variety of construction techniques and materials from available technologies, as well as envisioning novel possibilities. 2.Space Colonialism - The Anthropocene is a widely used term indicating a period where human activity has profoundly changed Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and surface. This group’s design outcome highlights ethical concerns regarding the colonization of Mars in response to the dramatic human effects on Earth’s ecosystem. 3. Ecotourism - Ecological Space Tourism - Can we limit human impact on the environment and turn space waste into new sustainable experiences?