Danish Architecture Center's most recent exhibition, A Space Saga, explores life in a lunar habitat, providing an insight into the considerations that would shape space architecture, as new lunar missions are on track for 2025. The exhibition presents the lunar habitat LUNARK developed by Danish architecture studio SAGA Space Architects, a study on physical and mental well-being in extreme environments that can also inform high-tech architecture on Earth.
SAGA Space Architects is a design collective consisting of architects and engineers specializing in space architecture and projects for extreme environments. Created in 2018, the lunar habitat was put to the test for 100 days in the landscape of northern Greenland, an experiment that provided the architects with more insight into what space architecture entails. In collaboration with scientists, the team studied the psychological effects of isolation, learning how space can help stimulate the astronauts' senses.
At Danish Architecture Center, we believe that architecture creates the physical framework for a sustainable life – whether it is on Earth or in outer space. When it comes to space architecture, Denmark is very well represented, particularly by the designs of the young architectural studio SAGA Space Architects, which are currently on exhibit at DAC. We look forward to sharing our enthusiasm and fascination for architecture and giving our guests unique insight into the considerations that go into space architecture, human curiosity and well-being - Tanya Lindkvist, program manager at Danish Architecture Center.
LUNARK is a foldable structure that can fit in the cargo hold of a rocket ship and provides a 4.5 square meters space once deployed. The architects have been working on replicating the sensorial stimulation common to Earth with LED light panels that simulate circadian rhythms. The team is also working on including living organisms such as algae in the design, which would convert carbon dioxide into oxygen while also being a fast-growing source of proteins and essential vitamins and minerals.
