A vision for human life on the Moon
Design as an Astronaut, presented at 19th International Architecture Exhibition,Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. curated by Carlo Ratti and organised by La Biennale di Venezia, introduces the Argonaut Habitat Unit — a collaborative project by ESA, the MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, and Politecnico di Milano. Built upon the European Space Agency’s Argonaut lander platform, originally conceived for lunar cargo delivery, the project reimagines this system as a modular base for short-duration human habitation. Designed to host two astronauts for missions lasting up to four weeks, the unit addresses both operational needs and psychological well-being in the challenging lunar environment.
The two-level habitat includes EVA preparation areas, workspaces, medical and laboratory facilities, private quarters, and a shared recreation and dining zone with views of the Earth and stars. Interior lighting systems simulate Earth’s circadian rhythms through programmable LED panels, supporting sleep and mood stability. Soft materials enhance acoustic comfort by absorbing machine-generated noise.
The outer shell combines Kevlar and mycelium, offering structural strength, thermal insulation, and radiation shielding with minimal weight. The mycelium, grown in situ, provides a sustainable, self-healing barrier against cosmic radiation. Artificial intelligence systems are integrated for operational support, anomaly detection, and even psychological companionship during isolation. The final design phase incorporates astronaut feedback through immersive VR/XR simulations, enabling a co-design process rooted in real human needs.
This project highlights how computational design, immersive technologies, and bio-based materials can shape future space habitats — not only making lunar presence possible, but also livable.