Alexander Cunningham - Master's Thesis

Fatalism, Purpose and Dwelling in Outer-Space

by Alexander Cunningham

major section

Thesis Premise
The Earth’s climate is in a constant state of change; these changes upset the stability that civilization depends on and may, one day, threaten human survival. Technology offers a replacement; a stable environment tailored to fulfill human needs.

Thesis Question
How can architecture enable dwelling in the engineered environment that humans require to survive in outer-space?

Thesis Abstract
Scientists have shown that the current climate, which has allowed human civilization, is an intermission in the glacial cycle of an ice-age (Brownlee and Ward 16). When the current inter-glacial period ends human civilization might be crushed by dwindling agricultural resources (Palmer 162). Furthermore the sun is slowly growing in intensity; eventually this will result in the evaporation of the oceans, killing all life on the surface of Earth (Brownlee and Ward 142). Using science and industry humans can create an alternative to suffering these climatic changes. Large and stable biospheres, tailored to human needs, might, one day, be constructed in orbit around the Earth (Gatland 242). The role of architects in designing these “arcologies” will be to enable dwelling; that is to re-establish the connection between human and environment. Realizing arcologies is not a simple proposition. These structures will be larger than any building ever constructed. Furthermore they will be manufactured in the deadly conditions of outer-space. Therefore intermediary experiments in outer-space habitation, focused on proving the required technologies, manufacturing techniques, and architectural schemes must be undertaken.