This week, leading figures in space architecture will descend on Milan to formally establish the discipline for the first time. Ellen Eberhardt explores what's at stake.
Space-related architecture has seen an explosion in activity over the past few years, with the development of off-earth construction methods, zero-gravity interior design and even a dedicated masters' programme.
Established architecture firms such as BIG and SOM have entered the field, while a host of new specialist players have emerged including Danish design-build practice SAGA, MIT offshoot Aurelia Institute and 3D-printing studio ICON.
Space travel at "inflection point"
"The big change we're seeing is that even in the last 10 years, the cost to go to space has dropped pretty significantly," Aurelia Institute founder Ariel Ekblaw explained. During the space shuttle era from 1981 to 2011, the cost of space travel was between $50,000 and $70,000 per kilogram, she told Dezeen.
Starship, the upcoming rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX company that tested successfully last week, is expected to contribute to bringing that down to as little as $50 per kilogram ? allowing outfits like Aurelia Institute to "think way more open-ended about the types of things we could send up there and design".
The dramatic shift represents a moment for space travel that can be compared to aviation in the mid-20th century, when flying went from private or military use to becoming an affordable form of tra...