We are on the cusp of the second great age of space exploration.

Outer space has always captured the imaginations of the public. New advances in technology (including comet landings, the Orion Spacecraft, and large scale social experiments leading to exploration of Mars) mean that outer space is no longer a place only astronauts will get to experience – but something you and I can experience within our lifetimes

For a long time, the fantastical visions of space exploration have been rooted in the sci-fi proposals of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Ring worlds, death stars and space colonies conjure vibrant, psychedelic visions of the future from yesteryear. Since then, advances in space technology have multiplied exponentially. Are these retro visions still the best representations of our future in the stars?

Architecture has some catching up to do. The Outer Space competition is seeking proposals that envision space exploration in the near future (100-200 years). What kinds of structures will be developed to move, house and sustain people? How will robotics, AI, autonomous spacecraft, and satellites extend our reach?

Let’s get out of here and go to Outer Space…