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Space architecture is already a bona fide specialty within THE PROFESSION. its lessons will infiltrate the mainstream, changing the way we DESIGN, build, AND … THINK

By Sara Hart

While conceding that space architecture is a rarefied specialty within the profession, the work under way at this moment should prompt earthbound architects to think outside the ozone in several areas.

Renderings: Courtesy of Nasa Johnson Space Center TransHab Module NASA architects and engineers designed a hybrid structure with a hard central core and an inflatable exterior shell (left). The architecture is optimized for flexibility. Level I contains a galley/wardroom and soft stowage. Level 2 houses the crew’s quarters and water tanks. Level 3 is for health care and soft stowage. Inflatable structures have been proposed for surface habitation on Mars and the moon (below).

Sustainability. In space, obsolete structures will be disassembled and their components reused. On Earth, buildings are typically demolished and dispatched to landfills.

Cost. In space, the lighter and more portable the load, the more economical the launch and deployment. On Earth, lighter is more economical, but portability, whether in the form of manufactured components or prefabricated systems, remains a fledgling industry.

Life safety. In space, life safety literally means survival. Egress to the outside to escape fire or smoke is not an option. On Earth, life safety translates, in most building codes, to acceptable risk determined by a rating system for materials and assemblages.

Life cycle. In space, because even routine maintenance can be logistically problematic, life-cycle issues are a major part of the design process. On Earth, besides attention to surface finishes and access to equipment, postoccupancy mitigation, as required, is the norm.