A Poetic Martian Habitat

Abstract

In August 2013, I learned that anyone from all around the world could register and volunteer to be a member of first Red Planet Colonist project. I wanted to register the same night, but when I checked the website the deadline for registration had passed! Most probably, I am not the only one who wants to explore new planets, who wants to break the limits, who wants to experience an unexperienced world. Mars is the second livable planet. This is the notion that has been discussed for several years now, and gradually it is being taken more seriously. While many people believe that housing on Mars will not happen and it is just a futuristic dream, there are some people who are more optimistic that this dream will come true. National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) is conducting much research and every year they have a competition of housing on Mars Designs. Many housing designs for Mars are being conducted by architecture students or architectural firms, as university design courses, architectural competitions or individual projects. They might seem great projects, but they lack in a very important factor for the residents and their experiences no matter where people reside identity, personal and cultural identity is key to how people perceive their experiences. The identity of people and their relationships, identity of place and its connection with people, identity of experiences and habits are shaped through time and space. The question is, do the residents on Mars need only a building that works as a shelter or do they need more? How will the housing respond to both physical and mental needs? How will Mars housing help inhabitants not feel alienated or isolated far away from earth, where they have born, lived, and grown? This essay suggests that if human beings are going to live on Mars, they need a place that not only responds to the climate and conditions on Mars, but is also a poetic and livable space as they will be spending most of their time indoors. To better understand the environment of Mars, a brief analytical study of the science on Mars and its conditions is discussed. However, the focus of the essay concerns the habitat of Mars.