B.Arch Thesis | Spring 2024
Advisors Suzanne Lettieri and Hanna Tulis 

The space industry has been rapidly evolving since the beginning of the Space Race in 1957. With the televising of rocket launches, missions, and the moon landing, the public got a taste of what it is like to be an astronaut and became fascinated in the concept of space travel, aided by the science fiction films constantly being released during this time. As this fascination grew, more and more people wanted the opportunity to become an astronaut without the need of a technical degree and expertise in the field. With this, space tourism companies began to form, leading to the first tourist entering space in 2001 paying $20 million dollars to do so. Since then, private companies have begun infiltrating into the industry developing their own transportation vehicles and proposing hotels stationed in space. With the increase of space flights and space exploration and development that has happened over the past 60 + years, we have collectively left behind around 100 million pieces of debris that are caused by launches, collisions, and separated parts. Some recent technologies have been created to collect debris using nets, claws, magnets, drag sails, but have been misused to push political agendas outside the confinements of Earth.

As the International Space Station is facing decommission by 2030, the once unified home in our orbit will fall to Earth, leaving behind only a few usable parts and creating a future separation in space stations amongst countries. To address the issues posed by the complex nature of space within Earth’s orbit, this thesis challenges the notion of a space station creating a kinetic vessel that houses scientists, tourists, and students alike and addresses the space debris issue, comfort and ways of living in space, and the unique dynamic posed by the set occupants. The separate user groups, are incredibly distinct and would not typically interact with one another, but have one thing in common, the desire to be in space. By combing them on one remote station, separate from other life, and creating a interdependent relationship, new forms of knowing can be established between them and a better understanding of environmental issues regarding our planet can be posed. Aha moments, such as the overview effect can transform the lives of those on board, giving them a completely different outlook on life. Moreover, original design adapted to life in space, can act as a unifying factor between the clientele and provide moments of stillness, reflection, and gathering. The project investigates how one can develop a dynamic and kinetic architecture, not bound by gravity, that can respond to the environment outside and shaped by the routine within to ensure that we can fix our human pollution in space and, through reflection, ensure that it will not progress on Earth further.

Posed Questions:
How can architecture adapt and foster moments of unity between distinct groups, while providing change in perspective through the interactions hosted by design?

In what ways can the nature of space, its politics, and inner-workings be used as frameworks for design that focuses on the human scale to much broader contexts?