Outer space is no longer just a site for exploration: It is a proving ground for technological developments and the source of an emerging economy in raw materials extraction, tourism, and off-world living. These advancements have the potential for revolutionizing not just habitats in outer space but also architecture on Earth—however, with fast-paced research and development comes increased opportunities for failure.
NCARB’s Futures Collaborative, a committee of expert volunteers, has been exploring how emerging trends and technology—including space architecture—will impact architecture practice and regulation. From their research, the collaborative has identified four key factors that architects should keep in mind when considering a regulatory framework for space architecture and the lessons it can impart regarding health, safety, and welfare (HSW) on Earth. Read the Future Trends Report to learn more.
Explore the Future Trends Report
- Research on space architecture may help advance health, safety, and welfare goals on Earth, especially in relation to extreme environments. Understanding and mitigating the impact of astronauts’ physical environment on their long-term psychology and physiology will likely shape professional understanding of what is possible, or even recommended, on Earth. Additionally, research on the technological aspects of survival in space will likely affect how architects design for other extreme environments as climate-related disasters and extreme weather events increase.
- Currently, the regulatory framework for the human inhabitation of space (i.e., “space architecture”) is wholly independent from architectural regulation. Space exploration and space inhabitation are treated as a singular field, governed by both military and civil organizations, as well as various historical treaties between countries. Because licensing boards are limited to regulating practice within the borders of their jurisdiction, there is currently little cause or scope for architectural regulators to have any direct role in the regulation of space architecture.
- Architects are already involved in space architecture, but the need for a license is unclear. Companies already employ architects to help develop and design space habitats—these individuals often refer to themselves as “space architects.” While many space architects hold a license to practice, “space architect” is not a protected title at the jurisdictional level, and these individuals are not required to have demonstrated the level of competent practice needed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public in a terrestrial setting.
- Architects interested in the field of space architecture may need to pursue additional education in engineering. The current integration of space architecture with aerospace engineering necessitates additional training in engineering beyond what an individual might learn in a traditional architectural education. The prerequisites for joining the main U.S. professional organization associated with space architecture highlight this need for engineering training: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) membership requires a degree in engineering but does not require a degree in architecture.
Want to learn more about trends impacting the future of architecture and regulation? Explore the Future Trends Report.
About the Futures Collaborative
NCARB’s Futures Collaborative is a volunteer-led effort comprised of practicing architects and other experts from across the country. Since 2017, the collaborative has been exploring how the practice of architecture is evolving, both in the near-term and the long-term. Through their research, NCARB is able to ensure that the regulation of practice can adapt proactively to change.
