Volume Zero’s Marsception 2018 competition imagined the colonisers undertaking research on the viability of life for the future human generations would live on the Red Planet; a habitat that would define a trend for the architecture of the upcoming human civilization there.

The jury for the competition consisted of esteemed designers Daniel Caud (Tetrarc), Dr. Margot Krasojevi (Margot Krasojević Architecture), Shahin Heidari (New Wave Architecture) and Britta Knobel Gupta (Studio Symbiosis).

The top three winners were awarded total prize money of $4000 while ten entries received honourable mentions.

1st prize: Thomas Goessler (Austria)

The human base is proposed to be situated in the area of Arcadia Planitia and entails different survival aspects for its habitants. The vision of the design is “a self-sustaining system which not only provides humans with what is necessary to survive but also fulfils their social and psychological needs”.

2nd prize: Agata Mintus, Leszek Orzechowski, Wojciech Fikus (Poland)

The design aims at protecting the future humans on Mars from low pressure, radiation, toxic regolithcontamination and low temperatures. The participants believe that “Architecture must not only shield from outside environment – it must provide – it must process – it must be all what a natural habitat is”. Based on the circulation concepts from the ESA MELISSA project, the design aims at providing a habitable environment for the future civilizations on Mars.

3rd prize: Renzo Lopez (USA)

The BOUNCE LAB is a futuristic research centre that is conceptualized like a living organism. “The structure is a recreational and kinesthetic exploration environment which shields humans from the dangers of living on Mars, while eliminating the claustrophobic feeling currently associated with space exploration”.

All images courtesy of Volume Zero