CONCEPTUAL IDEAS

Looking at the points we’ve mentioned prior, we can identify two main topics of interest. First, how to implement the greenhouse(s) to help the extraterrestrial settlers feel at ease and therefore help their concentration levels over long periods of the mission. The other question is how to include big spacious areas to fully make use of the settlers “superhuman powers” while using the limited and “expensive” space as efficient as needed.

moondulor

Let’s focus on the second question first. The inclusion of “large” spaces in which free lunar movement is possible, is far from just the sake of fun. Astronauts have to exercise extensively during their stay in micro or lunar gravity, which takes up a significant portion of their daily schedule. If they do not, they would lose muscle mass and have medical issues. Early research indicates, the motion and physical stress of jumping is not only better suited for moving around, but may also limit the amount of exercise needed. In a way we are looking at the past and the first space “walks” for inspiration to create a novel environment for the future.

In order to create those “free movement spaces”, we are not designing moduels that function as rooms. Instead, we look at the attributes needed for the specific tasks or needs and think of how the designed space can accommodate it. We separate the specific zones in three categories: privacy, sharing & cooperating.

Privacy for example is needed for the sleeping quarters, together with a certain tranquility. Cooperating spaces on the other hand also need a certain degree of tranquility but the space has to be more open and accessible. The interesting part is, how you can transform the space in between the defined categories and allocate the limited space.

A big part of how to differentiate the zones lies in the way we intend to integrate the greenhouses. The layout is pretty simple. In one example the greenhouse wraps around the living quarters and in the other version the greenhouse is in the center of it. Depending on the number of habitat modules and their relative location to each other, there will be areas which will be traversed more frequently than others and therefore have different characteristics. In combination with the greenhouses, we can further accentuate or limit the innate nature of those areas.