MOON HABITAT MODULE: NEW WAYS OF LIVING IN EXTREME SPACES

Will humans be able to keep their habits even in extreme conditions such as on the Moon? Or will their habits change to adjust to new spaces? In order to answer these questions, we decided to analyze the primary needs of humans to design to new living spaces. In extreme contexts or confined spaces, it is very hard to preserve one’s emotional and psychological balance. Therefore, man becomes an actor within the space, adjusting to make it his own and changing his habits. This is why we chose to use the philosophy of User Centered Design for our design: humans are the source of our inspiration. We aim to design a living space employing a standard container that can be used as a research station for working and living on both the Moon and Mars, or in emergency contexts on Earth. This project is divided into three equally important parts: analysis, meta-design, and technical design. We started by researching confined spaces under extreme conditions, such as military shelters, submarines, emergency housing after natural or chemical disasters, etc. Moreover, we studied space perception, proxemics, and human needs. Second, we analyzed the given space we have to design and the people who will be living there, including their work activities and hobbies. The third phase consisted of the actual designing of the space. Our goal is to create a familiar but innovative, functional, and emotional environment to guarantee effective standards both for living and working. The design took into account every relevant piece of information found in our research. The space is multifunctional and convertible; the different areas (working station, kitchen, and lounge area) are mostly open and common, but guarantee privacy when convenient. Shapes, colors, materials, scents, and sounds are an essential part of the project. In summary, this paper focuses on the design of a minimum habitat on the Moon characterized by: applicability of the design to extreme contexts on Earth (e.g., disasters); study of existing habits and human interaction in extreme contexts; proposal of a new way of living; User Centered Design; familiar spaces; sensorial interaction through materials, shapes and colors, flexible and organized spaces; and zoning.