Space Garden proposes an orbiting, autonomous greenhouse that will support cutting-edge agricultural research and global engagement in the future of our Earth-Space ecosystem. A scientifically informed “community garden” model for plant selection and stewardship will connect next-generation work in Low Earth Orbit back to Earth’s citizens and the planet’s long-term needs. The structure is composed of 31 growth chambers with individually controlled climates, designed for a variety of fruiting and flowering plants, trees, fungi, and algae.
Space Garden has two primary objectives. First, to test autonomous horticulture andproductionofnovel, high-impact (e.g., oxygen, nutrition, yield) crops in the microgravity environment. This research is critical to enabling future long-duration space exploration missions and will support technology transfer towards better agricultural strategies in resource-constrained environments on Earth. Second, to inspire creative architectural design in orbit, one that humanises this domain through biophilia and biomimicry, and recaptures the public’s imagination. Space Garden is one step in a multi-year committed pathway to de-industrialise Earth’s surface (i.e. off-world heavy industry and polluting processes) and build space infrastructure in service of Earth. The installation features functional life-support systems for a plant species within a full-scale plant-chamber section model, as well as a half-scale illuminated model of the greenhouse.
Participants
AURELIA INSTITUTE BOSTON, USA Ariel Ekblaw, San Francisco, USA, 1992. Lives and works in Boston, USA.
HEATHERWICK STUDIO LONDON, UK Thomas Heatherwick, London, UK, 1970. Lives and works in London, UK.
BRENT SHERWOOD, Philadelphia, USA, 1958. Lives and works in San Diego, USA.
Authoral Collaborators
Heatherwick Studio: Charlotte Bovis and Stuart Wood; Aurelia Institute: Max Pommier, Annika Rollock, and Che-Wei Wang; University of Colorado Boulder: Ben Greaves
Technical Collaborators
Millimetre; Format Engineers; Daikin; Interstellar Labs Team Aurelia Institute: Stephanie Sjoblom, Al Antosca, and Annie Kuan; Harvard Graduate School of Design: Angelina Zhang; Heatherwick Studio: Jeff Powers
Thanks
John Mather; Sana Sharma; Eric Forman; Autodesk
Supporters
James Anderson, Skadden; Autodesk Technology Center Boston
