02 DEFINING MY PROJECT
researching the domain  (Abbreviated)

An ambitious and open-ended studio, we built our scope and defined our project through rounds of research and unrestricted imagination. My studio followed an iterative analysis and application methodology. In each cycle, we conducted group research and discussion followed by individual application. Over the course of our research sprints we performed weekly pinups and critiques that addressed three critical areas in relation to time and space:

International Space Station Life Support

01 — RESOURCES
The extreme and unlivable environment found on Mars requires a closed loop design. We looked at precedents found on the ISS and compared it to the way we (or other plants and animals) use and source resources on earth. We also researched potential sources of food, energy, water all within the constraints of a closed loop system. We considered waste, input, and output as well as the human body’s needs. Our primary goal was to understand how our resources shape our bodies and environment, and how they ultimately influence design.

02 — SCALE AND THE HUMAN BODY
In space, as well as on earth, design is first and primarily a reaction to the scale of our bodies. The dimensions of the human body govern the size and scale of current spacecraft to the minute detail. We developed diagrams and one to one scale mockups of existing space modules (ISS, Skylab, MIR, TransHab) to discover the boundaries of intimate, social and public space in a vacuum, and to answer critical questions:


How do our bodies and culture shape our spaces?

What large interior spaces still give a sense of freedom? How much room does a person need, for how long?

What's it like to be in a place without a landmark or any sense of human scale?

NASA tests the limits of the human body, as well as human psychology, and seeks to design spaces that for the moment, suffice for survival of an astronaut. But as we continue on longer missions, how much of our habitat goes beyond survivability?

NASA Mars Desert Research Station

NASA's Man-Systems Integration Standards

03 — TECHNOLOGY
In developing an experience for the future, we naturally assume significant technological inventions in materials and processes. Humans have invented tools (another word for technology) to alter our environments both physical and digital for generations. We sought to answer a crucial question:  

How will program or design change in light of new undiscovered technologies? 

We looked at passive technology and active technology to inform our design, as well as conditions such as inside the machine, part of the machine, and alongside the machine.

My studio’s extensive research painted a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the constraints, expectations, and needs when designing for deep space. Our design approaches, while still open to interpretation, needed to address the daunting list of requirements and human necessities set forth by our research. Our research revealed the complexities our species, and just how unsuited we are for any environment not found on Earth.

02 DEFINING MY PROJECT
Project Approach

Mars in my mind was awe-inspiring and unforgiving but one of the universe's greatest gift to man: a challenge that remains unmet. I began by researching similar challenges on Earth. Time and time again, research brought me to the Himalayan peaks. Everest stands as the pinnacle of human achievement and a pursuit representative of the most celebrated passion and drive. To all the climbers who have summited Everest and me, it stands as something man must champion, and instills in us a primordial itch that leads to millions of dollars in gear and years of intensive training with a startlingly high risk of death.

"Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory — who was to die on Mount Everest — was asked why did he climb it. He said, ‘Because it is there.’ Well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it. And the moon and planets are there. And new hopes for knowledge and peace are there.” – John F. Kennedy

As one of the most extreme environments in the world, humanity does not see Everest as a habitable place, but as a place of awe and respect. I applied a similar mental model to the extremes of Mars. I sought to outline how humans can begin to summit Mars, not permanently inhabit the dangerous planet. While providing a thrill for the next generation, the platform will also tackle technological and environmental advances by testing newly designed systems that can be applied back on Earth.

03 TACKLING THE DETAILS
Defining Scope

The vastness of the project and its touch-points had me scope down to a manageable scope quickly. We were free to explore designing for in transit or on the surface but to best envision a future for a Mars summit, it was crucial to focus my design efforts around temporary habitation on the surface and for the climb itself.

It was also vital to take a step back and understand timeline at a more holistic level. I developed a timeline that included planetary transit to set feasible expectations and higher level restrictions. My higher level timeline revealed the amounts of constraints and long transit time needed to complete a Martian climb. For a Martian journey, transit, climbing, and acclimation are measured in years as opposed to weeks.

03 TACKLING THE DETAILS
Defining Site

One of the most fascinating peaks on Mars is Olympus Mons. It is currently the highest mountain in our known universe. At 15 miles high, three miles taller than Mount Everest, It is rimmed by a four mile high scarp with a 50 mile wide caldera located at the summit.

The scarp makes a perfect location for first time interplanetary climbers.
The primary site is located in the Gordii Fossae Planes situated at the base of Olympus Mons.

03 TACKLING THE DETAILS
Defining Program

With a location defined, it was crucial to set the program for my project. With so many possibilities, I returned to Everest. I looked at habitation programs necessary to perform an Everest summit. My research revealed multiple stages of camps. These included a more permanent base camp, with subsequent camps that followed climbers up the slopes of Everest. I developed four critical programs to build.

Camp Olympus is the equivalent to Everest’s Base Camp. It acts as a more permanent structure with longer-term occupants that focus on food production, medical attention, and mechanical concerns. Base Camp reflects a more temporary camp and is smaller and adaptable to accommodate for different climb routes. It was vital to incorporate a checkpoint camp that allows for storage, food production, and shelter along the path to Base Camp and the summit. Climbers at Base Camp would attempt multiple climbs before returning to Camp Olympus.

04 TACKLING THE DETAILS
Defining climber touch-points

There were countless intricacies and touch-points of a Mars climber. To help clarify my understanding and a more detailed roadmap of program needs, I devised a high-level user journey to map out the different tasks and touch-points a climber and researcher would accomplish and achieve in any given day. 

Mapping my user's journey at a more detailed level helped inform more specific program for each habitat.

05 DESIGNING SOLUTIONS
Human Scale

By developing for human scale first and foremost, I ensured a design that adhered to a comfortable, usable human experience. I focused on designing for a six ft male, typical to the demographics found in current space travel missions. To inform my iterations, I looked to current standards of temporary habitation found on Everest and extreme environments like cliff faces.

Due to the extreme conditions of Mars, I redesigned current standards of extreme habitation to better fit the needs of a Mars climber and the added bulk of a suit. One significant addition is the incorporation of an airlock, a necessity that allows climbers to change out of their oxygen sealed gear. I also addressed the human resource loop and diagrammed inputs, outputs and sources of energy that my habitats could utilize.

05 DESIGNING SOLUTIONS
Habitat Scale

With a better understanding of the human scale on a foreign planet, I turned to community level habitats and focused on designing public structures for Camp Olympus and Base Camp. The key to success here was modularity. I focused on iterating a shape that was strong, flexible, and adaptable. I returned to research and looked at current designs for galactic travel. My crucial inspiration was derived from Nasa’s Bigelow Expandable Activity Module or “BEAM.” Beam is an inflatable modular design developed by Bigelow and recently completed its first year in space.

I explored shapes that would allow for modular attachment. I settled on a hexagonal design that allowed for maximum internal space and external surface connections. The benefits of using a multi-sided form lay in its ability to use a smaller number of unique panels and allow for different orientations while still maintaining its connective ability.

06 NASA REVIEW (MIDTERM)
NASA Mid-Semester Review

Over the course of a month, we refined our concepts from sketches to more refined experiences. We used a combination of 3D models, diagrams, and timelines to define our projects before taking them to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for a critique by current astronauts, designers, and engineers.

While level of feasibility was a consistent critique, our review panel appreciated the level of detail and attention to constraint when designing our solutions.

Mid-Semester plots. Sized 24" x 60"

I received mixed feedback on my design. The critiques mainly focused on the level of detail not yet achieved in the actual material and physical breakdown of my hexagonal pods. However, my story was incredibly compelling to the review panel as a novel way to push the boundaries of technology, and the human body.