The 3D Printed Habitat Challenge—NASA's three-phase, $2.5 million competition—tasks architecture firms to generate and advance the construction technologies necessary for off-world habitats. Each stage of the challenge asks the teams to design and test an individual prototypical building element that can be 3D printed within a 22-hr time frame, while considering material restraints, geometric tolerances and autonomous performance.

Foster+Partners and Branch Technology have teamed up to win the latest round of competition. The firm has been tasked with producing three beams, three cylinders, and a 1.5-meter dome out of indigenous Martian regolith and recyclable materials. Their cylinder designs took first place back in May as did their 3D printed beams. They have now won the last segment of the head-to-head competition with their domed structure that was able to take double the load of a competing concrete dome in the stress test at a maximum load of 1694kg. 

Throughout the competition, Branch Technology has been responsible for developing the necessary 3D printing fabrication technology while Foster+Partners has focused on the engineering geometry. Together, they have combined their resources to develop optimized solutions that are specifically designed for the complexities of space travel and balance cost, weight, and structural performance against the stringent requirements of the long-term goal of extra-terrestrial habitation.