In light of a recent breakthrough within the topic of space, the architecture design firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) shares their partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in designing the first "full-time human habitat on the lunar surface." All three teams are working towards the planning, designing, and engineering of the settlement known as "Moon Village." According to SOM design partner Colin Koop, "the project presents a completely new challenge for the field of architectural design. The Moon Village must be able to sustain human life in an otherwise uninhabitable setting. We have to consider problems that no one would think about on Earth, like radiation protection, pressure differentials, and how to provide breathable air.”

With this new venture, several challenges will present themselves. The need for cross-disciplinary collaboration is a must. According to a statement from SOM, the goal is to approach the space industry's complicated problems through newer forms of collaboration between a diverse range of expertise. "Resiliency and self-sufficiency are key", states SOM. 

Many have dreamed of creating inhabitable settlements in space. Can SOM's recent collaboration with two powerhouse entities in space science and technology see this project into fruition? The architecture firm has expressed much focus on developing a master plan that leads to its success. 

The Moon Village is set to be located on the rim of Shackleton Crater which is near the South Pole. This location receives a consistent amount of daylight throughout the lunar year. Project development is said to happen in three phases which focus on the settlement's infrastructure and habitable structures. Several factors are being attended to, specifically radiation protection, pressure differentials, and most importantly, ways of providing breathable air. Koop shares that these variables are "problems that no one would think about on Earth, [...] The project presents a completely new challenge for the field of architectural design.”

Stay tuned for more updates on Moon Village and its progress on Archinect.