At the Dawn of Space Architecture What can Architects learn from International Space Station and Arc

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At the Dawn of Space Architecture: What can Architects learn from International Space Station and Architectural Design Challenges for Outer Space Kutlu ENÇ*, Lale BAŞARIRa *Jade University of Applied Sciences Department of Architecture, Oldenburg Ofener Str. 16/19, 26121 enckutlu@gmail.com a Izmir University of Economics, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Izmir

Abstract Space has not only been a huge field for exploration but also a possible prospective home for humanity. The International Space Station (ISS) therefore has been the longest-term space habitat since 1998. The extreme conditions, such as microgravity, excessive radiation and airlessness, challenged experts at several stages to create a secure, and sustainable structure accommodating three to six humans in ISS. Therefore, in this study, space architecture is explored as an essential type of sustainable and smart architecture. Authors sought typologies to reveal several approaches within space architecture. Space agencies have also challenged design teams to come up with concepts for Mars habitats. Some of these competitions were also chosen for an extensive analysis of design criteria for extra-terrestrial living. The main focus of this study is to analyse the smart construction technologies with sustainable and structural solutions of ISS and Mars suggested in architectural design challenges in order to generate a design framework for space settlements. As an outcome, a typology classification for orbital and surface structures with shaping forces of extra-terrestrial environments is suggested in the scope of the sustainable structures and smart construction technologies. Keywords: ISS, space architecture, extreme environment, sustainable structure

Introduction Smart environments have been envisioned when possible futures were predicted. The intelligence that is expected to be displayed by smart buildings and cities has been very appealing in the case of human sheltering is the case. This expectation is rooted in the quest for controlling the environment and staying safe and secure. (Aldrich, 2003) Therefore, safety and security are the elementary purpose of architecture. Smart environments are nevertheless considered as the inevitable next step for the governing human. Within the context of smart habitats, the authors scanned the smartest and most secure and safe building typologies to find out that spaces built for extreme environments displayed most evident sustainability cases that are built by humans. This approach led to an inquiry of the typologies that might have been revealed by analysing architecture created for extra-terrestrial and extreme earth conditions. Thus, in this work smartness is defined as the overall sustainability of the built-in properties of habitats; safety, security and autonomy of healthy and adaptive structures to shelter humans even in extreme environments. Lunar missions between 1968 and 1972 and Skylab, Mir and International Space Station (ISS) missions have followed one another in order to push the limits in extreme conditions of outer space. (Adams & Jones, 2014) After the first long-term-missions in ISS occurred, the experts of space agencies had huge questions about physiological and psychological concerns for the habitation of astronauts and researchers. However, these questions were not new for architects. Humans had already been asking about how we eat, sleep or take a shower etc. through the discipline of architecture. However, architecture has spun-off a brand-new side field titled “Space Architecture” in order to focus on the extreme living conditions in Space.

Background Space Architecture Space exploration as a scientific endeavour has its initial reports and suggestions as early as the 1960's. The spatial considerations though did not involve architectural expertise as seen from the literature until one of the first interdisciplinary design studies on settlements in outer space. (Johnson, 1977) The interdisciplinary group contained scientists, engineers, astronomers, and one architect. The group worked on a possible lunar colonization and came up with several terms and details of considerations. From psychological needs of colonizers and standards for spatial requirements of a whole colony to structural and geometric solutions 1


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At the Dawn of Space Architecture What can Architects learn from International Space Station and Arc by Kutlu Enç - Issuu