CHECK OUT THIS FUTURISTIC SPACE GREENHOUSE THAT’S DESIGNED BY HEATHERWICK STUDIO TO CULTIVATE PLANTS
The Venice Architecture Biennale is all about innovation, and Heatherwick Studio certainly embodies that with a new project that pushes the boundaries of science and sustainability. Space Garden, developed in partnership with the Aurelia Institute, is an intriguing idea where typical garden plants are cultivated within pods that form a greenhouse situated in low Earth orbit.
The four-meter-by-four-meter exhibit displayed at the Venice Biennale includes 30 pods that autonomously open and close to manage sunlight access and protect against debris. Symbolically, the main room contains a pomegranate tree, one of the first plants domesticated by humans
While the project may seem futuristic, a proof-of-concept launch isn't far off. All of this is a part of an attempt to "offworld," which entails moving some processes from the surface of the Earth to space so that the planet can recuperate and rest.
“The unique environment of space offers us an extraordinary opportunity to design for humanity’s greatest challenges on Earth,” says MIT graduate and space architect Dr. Ariel Ekblaw, CEO of Aurelia Institute. “Space Garden is our vision for an orbiting greenhouse, and an invitation to engage with new ways of thinking about building in, and for, extreme environments. We are focused on developing in-space infrastructure for the public good of life on Earth.”
Thanks to Heatherwick, the greenhouse has an elegant, futuristic design that is both beautiful and functional. The focus of this year's Venice Architecture Biennale is on people and their capacity to apply reason to address the most important problems confronting the world. Space is undoubtedly one option, and projects that view it as a solution are included in a special part of the Biennale.
“I’m fascinated by outer space. But, maybe surprisingly, not in its own right. Instead, by its potential to help humans live better lives on Earth,” says architect Thomas Heatherwick.